The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-01-16
ANTI.vIcE CRUSADE.
Addresses by Bishop Potter and Chair
man Baldwin OF Committee OF
Fifteen.

NEW YORK. Jan, lS-Bishop Potter
presided at a meeting of the Get-To-
gether Club in Brooklyn tonight and in
the course Of his opening remarks said:
"The subject for the evening is AT
ter Suppression-what? and l suppose
must say something as to this title.
I confess that il had the authority
Of prescribing the subject, should
change it to read The Anti-Vice Cru
sade; Before Suppression-what.' for
I have grave doubts as to the lmme-
diate suppression OF vice, and have
met may who are equally doubtful
I'VE may undoubtedly do a great
deal in civic matters and make vice
less indecent, less insolent. The mere
suppression is not essential. Nothing
has impressed me more during the last
three months than the efforts OF the
metropolis to make itself more de-
cent city"
The bishop then read an extract from
a newspaper describing the settlement
Of the east side bakers strike, and
how men stood outside Of the strik-
ers' quarters and shouted to the pass
ers-by that the strike had been settled.
and that hereafter the people would get
good. pure and clean bread on which
union labels had been placed.
What we want" said the bishop. lis
good, pure tenement houses on which
the union labels Of morality have been
placed. The only piece Of advice l
gave to those who came to me when
the committee Of fifteen was appointed
was that at least two representatives
of labor should be placed on the COM
mittee and that the committee should
recognize all classes. We have initia-
ted this crusade not for the crushing
of vice, but for the triumph of vir-
tue"
Bishop Potter then introduced Will
liam H. Baldwin. chairman Of the COM
mittee of fifteen. who spoke on the
subject, The Committee Of Fifteen
Its Origin, Scope and Purpose"
Mr.. Baldwin talked at some length
on the congested conditions existing
on the east side, and the prevalence Of
vice there. AS to the remedies, he said:
''Partisanship would ruin the attempt
We are making to reform conditions;
any suspicion of partisanship would
ruin the movement. The greatest mis-
take We could now make would be to
produce anything sensational. My pur-
pose is to pursue careful and busi-
ness-like policy in handling existing
conditions. We should have no false
notions that anyone can stop what Is
called vice. Our duty is to stop the
public trade in vice.
we must clean the streets. Think
Of the thousands Of children here in
New York tonight who are not safe.
Think of the wives that are in danger.
Your own wives and children are at
home safe and secure from harm, but
the wives and children on the east
side are not. I would kill the man
who touched one Of my children.
"The great difficulty We will have in
handling the present conditions is that
the people soon get tired Of these
questions and drop them after the first
agitation. This time We have got to
stay with the problem-thIs year, next
year and the year after. Now that we
have started the movement, we must
keep it up. believe that the city is
now entering into an era Of virtue and
morality and that We will not make
the mistake that has been made in re-
form movements in the past"