Speech #590092370

I shall not delay the passage of this bill. but I do not like to give my support to a bill that contains a principle which I think is absolutely absurd for the Senate to enunciate. I am not going into any lengthy discussion of it. Section 3 contains some very good provisions and very proper provisions against the importation of prostitutes. but I think it is perfectly absurd to provide that any woman coming into this coiintry. being a perfectly chaste woman. who at any time within three years shall be found to be an inmate of a house of prostitution. shall be deported by the Government of the United States. When she has passed the inspection. unless there has been some fraudthat is. unless she came here in violation of the lawwhen the inspector says "now you go in." and she goes and she is here without any violation of the law. the Government has not any more control over her from that time than it has over any nativeborn woman. It is perfectly absurd that t~he United States should attempt to exercise what is a wellrecognized police power over a citizen simply because she has come here from a foreign country.