IN PROTECTION OP WOMEN.

[To mu EDITOR Or Tits "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—Various letters and articles in your columns have lately drawn attention to the need for further protection, in various ways, for women. Might I suggest that we have overlooked some safeguards which would, so far as their powers go, be effective if only made full use of? Some of these already exist; others would be easily created. I will mention two only, the neglect of which leaves inexperienced girls and women greatly at the mercy of imposition.

(1) First, to take one which already exists, and has been often referred to in your columns, there is the network of societies which have as their sole raison. d'tstre the welfare and protection of women, such societies as the Girls' Friendly Society, the British Women's Emigration Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, and the Travellers' Aid, of the work of which you had an interesting epitome in your issue of April 6th, and of which the committee consists of representatives of many of the other societies.

I doubt whether the excellent work undertaken by such societies in the way of protection when travelling, and at stations and ports, and of inquiry as to the bona fides of advertisements and reliability of employers, especially in foreign countries, is sufficiently made known by them to their members, locally and individually. No one can exaggerate the danger to girls of starting forth to seek employment without proper inquiry beforehand and without ensuring protection en route and a welcome on arrival at distant ports. Instances of too many "narrow escapes" and of too many disasters could be furnished to allow any doubt in this matter ; there- fore the funds of all such societies should receive the heartiest support, by both individual and united effort, of every woman in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland and in the oversea Dominions. I think, too, that some pecuniary help might very reasonably be accorded (if not already given) by railway and steamship companies to those who do so much for the welfare, protection, and comfort of passengers in both ships and trains. The work also of these societies and the help obtainable by them should be more widely made known to both mothers and girls in provincial towns and in country villages, where the least experienced readers of advertisements abound. Local station- masters, school teachers, doctors, clergy, parish workers, and workhouse matrons—all, in fact, who know of girls leaving the country and going to London or elsewhere in reply to advertisements—might often be able to give them information, advice, and help if only by giving them the address of the local Travellers' Aid at their destination—in the case of London, 3 Baker Street, W.—so that if they are stranded they shall know where to turn for help.

(2) The second safeguard I would suggest for the protection of girls and women has, I believe, hardly been tried as yet, but would probably be the most effectual of any, in far- reaching results, for it would atop a great deal of danger at the fountain-head. This safeguard is the strict control by newspapers of advertisements in their columns offering employment. It is possible that many advertisement editors are unaware of the use to which their columns are put; but if so, a reference to the annual reports of the Travellers' Aid Society would quickly enlighten them. I am glad to think that the Press have it in their power to throw—if they will—an effective shield over those whose ignorance or inexperience

leads them to imagine that well-paid posts are easily obtain- able by answering advertisements, though they themselves have no means whatever of verifying the reliability of such advertisements. There is little doubt that the whole danger from advertisements which mislead their readers under cover of offering honest employment could be stopped to-morrow if all editors of newspapers, including local country papers,

could obtain and exercise some means of satisfying themselves of the genuineness of the advertisements to which their

columns give wide publicity, and if, when convinced of in- stances of fraud, they would combine to prosecute those who have so misused such publicity. An advertisement printed in a newspaper may, and often must, put an inexperienced girl in correspondence with, and perhaps ultimately completely in the power of, unscrupulous persons who will trade on her ignorance to her undoing ; and this risk is always run so long as any newspaper inserts an advertisement for employment without inquiry.

The question how to find a way to assure themselves

before publication of the reliability of such offers of ostensibly honest employment may safely be left to the editors of news- papers to decide in consultation together if some of the leading papers will take the initiative in (a) inviting co-operation in the matter of regulating advertisements of employment ; (b) obtaining such authority (police or other) as may be necessary to act; and (c) prosecuting where necessary in case of fraud. Perhaps no authority, other than what editors already possess, is required. I sincerely trust so, as then no doubt good results would more quickly follow. Of course, as experience shows what large, wealthy, and powerful as well as evil combinations they have to guard against, editors would be prepared for a great outcry against any precautionary measures, but that outcry would be their best justification in

doing whatever they may deem necessary. Meanwhile the newspaper advertisement column remains the unintentional but strong link between snares and ignorance.

And what can the rest of us who are not editors do to help in the protection of women P Here are a few things we can do. We can make known the following encouraging facts, vouched for by Mr. W. A. Coote, secretary of the International Guild of Service for Women, as to the registering and licens- ing of registries for servants. Ho writes :-

"With regard to the registries, the labour of so many years resulted in the County Council getting powers from Parliament authorizing them to compel registry offices to be registered. After three or four years' experience we were able to make out a strong case showing the necessity of the registry offices being licensed, so that to-day every registry office in London is licensed by tho London County Council, and is subject to severe pains and penalties if they do not conduct their business properly."

It is obvious that the more fact of registries being required by the County Council to have a licence is an enormous check on bad or careless registries in London, as they now have something to lose, and the withdrawal of the licence means closing the registry. But Mr. Cools also says "I know of no other town where registries are licensed," though "they are registered in certain towns, such as Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Hull, &O." Will not County Councils in our towns apply to Mr. Coote for his experience on the subject, and insist on their registries being henceforth licensed P If a registry in London is found to be bad, the County Council prosecute—in the provinces, the police. The necessity for obtaining a licence has (on Mr. Coote's authority) resulted in the suppression of a groat many bad registries.

Regarding the work of the officials employed by various societies to meet and assist women travellers, and who are a very powerful aid. in their protection at ports and stations (where evil agents are always active), Mr. Coote says " We could very well with advantage employ fifty port and station workers in the provinces." . . . " We provide workers for all the stations in London, but, owing to the fact that we have not sufficient workers, some of the stations are left unattended during part of time day. In order to do the work more efficiently we should need twelve more workers for London." . . . " The salaries of our station and port workers, either in London or the provinces, range from 245. to 30s. per week. In addition to this we of course pay any expenses they incur

in the conduct of their work. Taking all things into considera- tion, we find that we are obliged to average the cost at about £70 per annum per worker," which means that £840 would

supply the extra work needed in London for a year and £3,500 in the provinces. A small sum, indeed, considering the amount of protective work it would ensure, a sum that could by some people be given yearly unaided.

But cannot we, to whom the giving of such an amount is impossible, combine to give or to raise among our friends or in our own parish the support of one such worker yearly P Mr. Coote would gladly receive sums specified as being for this purpose at the offices of the International Guild of Service for Women, St. Mary's Chambers, 161a Strand, W.O., made payable to the treasurer, Mr. H. J. Wilson, M.P.

Is not this at last a matter in which suffragettes and anti. suffragettes could combine at once to help their fellow countrywomen P I, for one—an anti-suffragette—am glad to believe that people of both opinions would and will so com- bine, and in that belief I myself will gladly receive sub- scriptions from those of both views who will join with me to support one such worker for one year in the ports and stations of London ; for I feel that though there are countless societies for mending " broken earthenware "—and all honour to them—there is comparatively little done for those who, with every desire to "keep straight," are entangled weekly and hourly in snares purposely set for them.

As to the punishment due to those villains, male and female, who subsist on the ignorance and friendlessness of their fellow creatures, and trade in human lives and honour, flogging ought to be added to any other sentence passed upon them, That is the only thing which cowards dread.

Any cheques kindly sent to me for the support of a worker should be made payable to "Port and Station Worker's Fund" and crossed " Coats and Co.," Messrs. Coutts having kindly consented to receive the little Fund, and I will gladly pass on to the International Guild of Service for Women any sums, however small—or large!—your readers are so good as to send to me for the purpose.—I am, Sir, &c., [We should most gladly see flogging added to the penalties for procuring or for using violence to entrap or detain any woman in a house of ill-fame, or, indeed, for any of the offences under the Criminal Law Amendment Aot.—En. Speetator.1