By the President of the United States of America.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a project of arrangement for the suppression of the white slave traffic was, on July 25, 1902, adopted for submission to their respective Governments by the delegates of various Powers represented at the Paris Conference for the repression of the trade in white women;

And whereas, in pursuance of Article VIII of the said project of arrangement, the Government of the United States was, on August 18, 1902, invited by the Government of the French Republic to adhere thereto;

And whereas the Senate of the United States, by its Resolution of March 1, 1905 (two-thirds of the Senators present concurring therein), did advise and consent to the adhesion by the United States to the said project of arrangement;

And whereas the stipulations of the said project of arrangement were, word for word, and without change, confirmed by a formal agreement, signed at Paris on May 18, 1904, by the Governments of Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Norway, and the Swiss Federal Council, a true copy of which agreement, in the French language is hereto attached;

And whereas the ratifications by the said Governments of the said agreement have been duly deposited with the Government of the French Republic; and the said agreement has been adhered to by the Governments of Austria-Hungary and Brazil;

And whereas the President of the United States of America, in pursuance of the aforesaid advice and consent of the Senate, did, on the 6th day of June, 1908, declare that the United States adheres to [Page 334] the said agreement in confirmation of the said project of arrangement:

Now, therefore, be it known, That I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, have caused the said agreement to be made public, to the end that the same, and every article and clause thereof, may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.


[seal.]
Theodore Roosevelt.

By the President:
Robert Bacon
Acting Secretary of State.

[Translation.]

His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, in the name of the German Empire; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty the King of Denmark; His Majesty the King of Spain; the President of the French Republic; His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India; His Majesty the King of Italy; Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands; His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves; His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, and the Swiss Federal Council, being desirous to assure to women who have attained their majority and are subjected to deception or constraint, as well as minor women and girls, an efficacious protection against the criminal traffic known under the name of trade in white women (“Traite des Blanches”) have resolved to conclude an arrangement with a view to concert proper measures to attain this purpose and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

  • His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, His Serene Highness Prince Radolin, his Ambassador Extraordinary.
  • His Majesty the King of the Belgians, M. A. Leghait, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the King of Denmark, Count F. Reventlow, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the King of Spain, his Excellency M. F. de Leon y Castillo, Marquis del Muni, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, his Excellency Sir E. Monson, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the King of Italy, his Excellency Count Tornielli Brusati di Vergano, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, M. le Chevalier de Stuers, her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, M. T. de Souza-Roza, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, his Excellency M. de Nelidow, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway: for Sweden and for Norway M. Åkerman, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the President of the French Republic;
  • And the Swiss Federal Council, M. Charles Edouard Lardy, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to the President of the French Republic;

Who, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following provisions:—

Article First.

Each of the Contracting Governments agrees to establish or designate an authority who will be directed to centralize all information concerning the procuration of women or girls both in a view to their debauchery in a foreign country; that authority shall have the right to correspond directly with the similar service established in each of the other Contracting States.

Art. 2.

Each of the Governments agree to exercise a supervision for the purpose to find out, particularly in the stations, harbours of embarkation and on the journey, the conductors of women or girls intended for debauchery. Instructions shall be sent for that purpose to the officials or to any other qualified persons, in order to procure, within the limits of the laws, all information of a nature to discover a criminal traffic.

The arrival of persons appearing evidently to be the authors, the accomplices or the victims of such a traffic will be notified, in each case, either to the authorities of the place of destination or to the interested diplomatic or consular agents, or to any other competent authorities.

Art. 3.

The Governments agree to receive, in each case, within the limits of the laws, the declarations of women and girls of foreign nationality who surrender themselves to prostitution, with a view to establish their identity and their civil status and to ascertain who has induced them to leave their country. The information received will be communicated to the authorities of the country of origin of the said women or girls, with a view to their eventual return.

[Page 336]

The Governments agree, within the limits of the laws and as far as possible, to confide temporarily and with a view to their eventual return, the victims of criminal traffic, when they are without any resources, to some institutions of public or private charity or to private individuals furnishing the necessary guaranties.

The Governments agree also, within the limits of the laws to return to their country of origin, those of those women or girls who ask their return or who may be claimed by persons having authority over them. Return will be made only after reaching an understanding as to their identity and nationality, as well to the place and date of their arrival at the frontiers. Each of the Contracting Parties will facilitate the transit on his territory.

The correspondence relative to the return will be made, as far as possible, through the direct channel.

Art. 4.

In case the woman or girl to be sent back can not pay herself the expenses of her transportation and she has neither husband, nor relations, nor guardian to pay for her the expenses occasioned by her return, they shall be borne by the country on the territory of which she resides as far as the nearest frontier or port of embarkation in the direction of the country of origin, and by the country of origin for the remainder.

Art. 5.

The provisions of the above articles 3 and 4, shall not infringe upon the provisions of special conventions which may exist between the contracting Governments.

Art. 6.

The contracting Governments agree, within the limits of the laws, to exercise, as far as possible, a supervision over the bureaux or agencies which occupy themselves with finding places for women or girls in foreign countries.

Art. 7.

The non-signatory States are admitted to adhere to the present Arrangement. For this purpose, they shall notify their intention, through the diplomatic channel, to the French Government, which shall inform all the contracting States.

Art. 8.

The present arrangement shall take effect six months after the date of the exchange of ratifications. In case one of the contracting Parties shall denounce it, that denunciation shall take effect only as regards that Party and then twelve months only from the date of the day of the said denunciation.

Art. 9.

The present arrangement shall be ratified and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Paris, as soon as possible.

In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Agreement, and thereunto affixed their seals.

[Page 337]

[l. s.] (Signed)
Delcassé.

[l. s.] (Signed)
Randolin.

[l. s.] (Signed)
A. Leghait.

[l. s.] (Signed)
F. Reventlow.

[l. s.] (Signed)
F. de Leon y Castillo.

[l. s.] (Signed)
Edmund Monson.

[l. s] (Signed)
G. Tornielli.

[l. s.] (Signed)
A. de Stuers.

[l. s.] (Signed)
T. de Souza Roza.

[l. s.] (Signed)
Nelidow.

For Sweden and Norway:
[l. s.] (Signed)
Åkerman.

[l. s.] (Signed)
Lardy.