New-York tribune., 1901-04-12
THE FlFTEEN'S REPORT
COMMITTEE FINDS THAT VICE is PRO
TECTED
WANTS NEIGHBoRHooD MEETING PLACES
FOR THE PEOPLE-TO DRIVE DISOR-
DERBY WOMEN FROM THE
TENEMENT HOUSES

The Committee of Fifteen gave out report
yesterday for publication It is signed by the
chairman, William II. Baldwin. jr. The report
contains about twelve hundred words and be-
gins by saying that the first few weeks after
organization We're expended in securing trust
worthy agents for the work of investigation. A
brief investigation satisfied the committee that
gambling and poolrooms protected by the
municipal authorities, whose duty il was to
close them. Raids followed, in which number
Of managers or employees of these houses were
arrested. Their trials now in progress. and
the committee has lively hopes that, through
the conviction of these subordinates, the prln-
cipals may be reached.
But whether this end is attained or not it has
been successfully demonstrated, says the report
that "a committee of citizens can force the
police to close up gambling and poolrooms'
which they viii not close Of their own motion,
thus making il evident that protection to these
forms of vice is actually afforded by the au-
thorities"; and il is also certain that the gam
bling business threatened and interrupted. has
ceased at this time to be profitable in the city
of New-York either to those directly engaged
I'm it or to those who indirectly derive from it
a large share of their revenue"
The report next takes up the subject of the
social evil. and SAYS the committee has given II
most serious consideration, and has been col
lecting data from different countries, for which
Trustworthy statistics available. and in
tends To prepare a report embodyirS suggestions
for the treatment Of the problem in great cities.
The committee does not feel that the best inter
ests Of the city will he served by any violent
ATTEMPT to suppress the evil: hut it is hoped
that the report referred to Will present such in
formation and recommendations shall enable
ci-,, y1N
and TO deal with it conservatively and wisely
The committee believes. however, that there is
one aspect Of the question which must be met
vigorously and effectively once, namely. the
CRYING evil Of the existence Of prostitution in
tenement houses.
The committee is collecting evidence which
viii he utilized eliminate prostitution from
tenement houses as soon as the legislation rec
commended by the Tenement House Commission
shall have gone into effect; and it proposes un-
fnchingly TO pursue its task until prostitution
is wholly extirpated from tenement houses. The
organized traffic in young girls by the so-called
cadet system is also receiving close attention.
and has already been rendered more perilous
by the arrest and conviction of several persons
engaged in this traffic.
The committee closes its report by making
suggestion to the public. for which it asks seri-
Gus consideration. II says:
This is the necessity of providing suitable places
OF meeting. where the people in each neighborhood
can come together and discuss the evils that affect
Ihelr civic life; where they may from time 10 time
meet their representatives, with OF obtaining
from Them an account Of their stewardship. and
where remedies be proposed and discussed.
The committee has. in the Of its labors been
deeply impressed with the practical heplessness of
me mass OF the people in any attempt TO secure
their rights owing to the lack of one of the ele-
mentary provisions requisite for the assertion of
such rights, namely. places convenient and suitable
for halls Of assembly.
A hall of assembly is an indispensable organ Of a
democracy. What the town hall is in the New
the modern city. The committee recommends
therefore. heartily that in each Assembly dis
trct sua bic assembly hall shall be built which
shall be kept ayaila bic for the meetings Of citizens
Whether this shall be done in connection with the
public Libraries which likely be erected
IN every part Of greater New-York. sepa ra tely
from these may be left for future consideration.
Speaking about the report later, Mr. Baldwin
said the question whether these halls should
be built by the city by private beneyolence
purposely left open for discussion. He
added that the committee would proceed 10 drive
disorderly women out of the tenement houses
just as soon as the new Tenement House bill
was passed Without that nothing could be
done Under the present system certain land
lords of tenement houses encouraged these
women TO become their tenants because of the
higher rentals which they were willing TO pay.