Hoke v. United States 227 U.S. 308 (1913)
HOKE v. UNITED STATES 227 U.S. 308 (1913)
CAMINETTI v. UNITED STATES 242 U.S. 470 (1917)
Opinions in champion v. ames (1903) and hipolite egg co. v. united states (1911) laid the foundation for a unanimous decision sustaining the mann act, which prohibited the interstate transportation of women for immoral purposes. Justice joseph mckenna, generously construing the power over interstate commerce, declared in Hoke that Congress might exercise means that "may have the quality of police regulations." He denied that the Mann Act violated the tenth amendment by usurping the state police power. In Caminetti, the Court held that transportation was illegal under the act, even if not accompanied by financial gain: "To say the contrary would shock the common understanding of what constitutes an immoral purpose." These cases helped establish a broad basis for the growth of the national police power.
David Gordon
(1986)