The morning call., 1893-06-16
THE DIVE WOMEN.
A Question Which Needs
Solution.
HOW TO PROVIDE FOR THEM
A Difficult Problem for the Religious
Societies and Christian Peo-
pie of This City.

| Comm ssioners yesterday afternoon, rep
resenting Ed Foster of the Bella Union,
and asked that his client should be per-
mitted to sell liquor. The Commissioners
refused to grant the necessary permission
as he had employed women in his saloon.
The attorney then stated that his client
claimed that previous to May %, when the
dive ordinance was passed. the Bella
Union was not running. being closed for
repairs, and he was not therefore at the
time employing women, and he did not in
tend In the future to employ women. He
would apply for a writ OF mandamus to
the Supreme Court to compel the Commits
sioners to grant Foster license to sell
| liquor, and asked th at the board should at
least give him permission to sell liquor
until the case was decided by the Supreme
Court.
The board agreed to do this, but on the
express understanding that Foster was
not to employ women.
Counsel then stated that he intended in
| the same manner to test the constitution
| ality of the ordinance on two points.
The first was 10 the case of a man and
wife who ran place on Pacific street.
| The wife was joint proprietor with her
| husband, and the ordinance In her case
interfered with the rights of women when
| it is declared by law that a woman can
| follow the same occupations as a man.
| The other point was in the case of an ex-
| convict who runs dive. In this case he
| claimed the ordinance was unc0nstitu-
| tional. as il imposed a second penalty on
man convicted of crime.
Now that the dive question is satisfac-
| torily settled" said Major Keppel of the
Salvation Army yesterday, II think the
| question of the dive girls ought to be taken
up on a wholly distinct platform.
"These women should be helped. They
are members of the human family. They
should not be looked upon as dive wait
| resseS or in connection with any other
| business. but simply as girls and women.
l feel that they are many of them per-
| fectly HELPLESS. and bridge ought to be
! built for them to get back among us.
''It is very hard question and appears
so large to US that the army cannot see its
way to take hold OF it yet. There is our
| home at Beulah, where we are taking care
| of twenty-three girls at present. We can
accommodate fifty"
Several other members of the army ap-
parently take the greatest interest in the
question. A tall, good-looking cadet, who
| had been distributing War Crys in the
Mission, suggested that the dive girls. if
| they really mean to assert themselves,
ought to form club for self-proection.
She did not believe in their having
| union as mattresses in dives, but thought
| they should organize as women willing and
a BILE TO work.
This cadet also made the suggestion that
the pastors in the various churches should
make known to their people the needs of
the girls.
"At the meetings of the Salvation
Army" she said simply, 1.-The class of
people who attend do not require the ser
vices Of girls, but at the churches it is DIFF
ferent. Here is an opportunity for the
church people to manifest little practical
| Christianity"
A practical start has been made to pro-
| vide refuge for these girls by the Chris
tian Union Mission, which has its head
quarters at the Bij0u Theater, on Market
street, between Third and Fourth.
j. c. Chown, the manager, said yester-
day that the lady managers had appointed
a committee, which will start out TODAY
to collect funds toward Ieopening the
girls department at the mission. The
committee consists of Mrs. Ballentine,
wife of Rev. Mr.. BalIentine of Oakland,
Mrs. Bruins and Mrs. l. C. Mason.
I'VE had nice work for girls here when
| Stephen Holcom be left" said Mr.. Chown.
''but had TO close it up for lack of funds.
However, we have the rooms all nicely
| furnished and otherwise ready, though
| lying idle.
"Here We can teach the girls to be useful
ard give them some experience for homes
| of their own. Many of our girls have gone
back to theA parents, and some have mar
ried happily.
I'VE have s25 month income for the
| work IN signt, and as soon as we have $50
monthly income we will reopen that de-
partment 1t has been misleadlngly stated
| that we wanted $780, but that is for the
whole institution. We have at present an
| income of $500 a month, and we REQUIRE
$500. or $500 month more. TO do the work
properly.
1--WE are meeting.with success in our
work, and If not crippled for funds would
| do more. The ladies are specially anxious
to do all they can for the girls wanting
helping hand"
Sister Julia. who manages a home for
women and children on Harrison street.
stated that she had great faith In the in
| nate desire for reform among women lead
| ing degraded life.
"Two-thirds of the erring women would
do better If given a chance" she said, en-
phatlcally. People tell me that they
| don't want to reform, but after / get hold
OF them, and we understand each other.
| there Is nearly always wish to get out OF
| low levels manifested. / can take more
girls at my home II necessary, and l will"
Adolph Sutro said he had not considered
the question extensively, but was inclined
| at first blush TO believe that such girls as
were graduated in their underground pro-
fession would prefer to make money their
own way. and that 1t would be difficult to
! reform them. 1t was hard problem.
Rev. Frank 3. Cressey of the Emmanuel
Baptist Chulch, on Bartlett street, near
Twenty-thlrd, Is preparing sermon ON
the subject and had much to say upon It,
Lots of people have sympathy with
these women" said he. "but very few will
take them into their homes.
1T is good deal to say, but think that
the first solution of this problem of fallen
women and dive women (not altogether the
same thing is for women to become more
| kindly disposed and tolerant toward their
own sex and be willing to receive them
more generally into their homes Thus
any woman needing help might agree to
give one of these women work and
| Christian home.
In the second place, if people cannot
give work they might receive these girls
into their own homes for few DAYS as
guests, giving them the comforts of home
and the announcement which they must
have OF practical Christian sympathy
Women will pray and weep and plead
over their sisters, but stop at the fatal
point and won't have them in their homes.
Ii some OF these best women would 60
| after these young women and say, Come
home with me, sit at my table, use my
bathtub, etc.. they might accomplish
| more.
1T is tremendous question. The work
ing of girls in dives is a result of the man.
ner in which girls are treated in kitchens
| and factories. Ii is largely labor nnes