New-York tribune., 1902-02-11
THE FIFTEEN ON VICE.
AN EXPERT REPORT ON METHODS OF
DEALING WITH THE EVIL
STATE REGULATION INEFFECTUAL AND DENoE-
ALIzING-ACTIoN NEEDED TO PREVENT
THE SPREAD or MORAL INFECTION


ALIzING-ACTIoN NEEDED TO PREVENT
THE SPREAD OF MORAL INFECTION.
The Committee OF Fifreen's report on The So
ciaI Evil. with Special Reference Conditions Ex-
sting in the City Of New-Tork." will this week
be published from the press OF C. P Putnam's
Sons. II consists of careful and impartial study
of this most unpleasant but most important subject
by Alvin P. Johnson now instructor in economies
B7yn Mavr College, and series OF recon-
nendations by the committee TO the best meth
DDS of dealing with vice in this city. The report
shows beyond question that adequate remedy
for the evil is to be found in any such system OF
State regulation and sanitary control is advo-
Gated by many. The committee frankly says that
moral grounds alone il would discountsnancs
any such policy. Its for doing So however.
not the old stock arguments that the govern
uent must not by liberation become the partner oc
vice. and that il is putting premium on i'm
morality TO endeavor to suppress ITS resulting dis
eases The diseases In large measure are trans
mitted TO the innocent and Mr.. Johnson holds that
II any system OF regulation could stamp them cut,
even at the cost or some protection 70 vice. the
human would be benefited But careful study
OF the results Of various methods Of regulation
shows that under them sanitary measures COM
pletey fail to accomplish their object. and are at
tended with most unfortunate moral consequences
Regulation does not the lessening OF disease:
it makes difficult the refo-ma ton OF immoral
women. and It gives the social evil a recognized
status which is demoraziug to the young OF both
eumstances or Inherited weakness. are on the bor-
derland between vice and virtue
The demand that this evil be kept from sight Is
often denounced mere hypocrisy It is said that
long have IL. let frankly recog-
nize the fact and cease useless efforts TO have u
suppressed or seem 10 De suppressed But il is not
hypocrisy to seek by moral quarantine to keep
evil which cannot be eradicated from civilized
ciety from spreading to thousands who not by
their nature destined TO be its victims Tbs
Committee Of Fifteen recognizes that prostitution
cannot be stamped out in great city. and properly
characterizes the marplots who always interiors
with efforts for ameIioratiOn with demands FOR tn
stant On the other hand. il recognizes that
aissez fare policy intoIerable. But il the STATE
cannot suppress may not regulate. what alter
native is there 70 leaving vice alone. letting IL
spread just the state Of Individual moral ssnti-
ment permits, and remanding its victims To ths
physical and social penalties OF their own sins2
The committees answer is moderate, humane and
practical II proposes policy that does not at
tempt the impossible. that does not offer deIusive
hopes OF suddenly changing the evil in the human
heart but which attempts 10 reduce the evil ale
viate the suffering it causes. lessen temptations
and make moral redemption Of society ever the aim
of government.
To this end the committee recommends strenuous
efforts 70 prevent in the tenement houses the over
crowding which is a prolific source Of immortality
Attempts already made for the more decent hOus-
ing OF the poor have produced only feeble i'm
preston. and if the social evil IS 70 be abated II
must be attacked az its sources The COMMITTEES
urges that by private munihCenCe or public pro
vision purer forms OF amusement he furnished to
supplant the attractions Of the resorts in which
pleasure loving, but not evlly futentioned. young
people row find their tastes debased and their
sensual natures stimulated II also calls for i'm
provement in the material condition Of young wage
earning women. The committee SAYS: TT is
sad and huTniliati ting admission 70 make az the be
ginning Of the twentieth century, in one OF the
greatest centres OF cviliza ton in the world. that
In numerous instances II is not passion corrupt
inclination. but the force of actual physical
that i1pels young women along the road to ruin
The report saws that the New-Tork hospitals
should. on grounds OF public health well ot
humanity 20 the sufferers. have much larger pro-
vision for treating outcast women and that minors
Of notorious immortality should be confined IN re-
formatories- The Raines law hotels found
be most potent influence for the spread or vice
offering elsewhere undreamed OF facilities 70 the
weak and vavering.
Finally. the committee declares for a change IN
the attitude OF the law. which now regards prosti-
tuition a crime. The proposition is 10 exclude IL
from the category OF crime not 10 make it less
odoUs sin put to make possible its more efi-
cient encouragement "A law the statute books
the blackmailer.' This source OF police corruption
prostitution be driven as a 9ubhc nuisance from
the tenement houses and apartments, be forbidden
dren, be prevented from all ootrusive manifesto
be confined in houses but not allowed to sesresats
sb ss IN any Wod f5eF m9k 9T s S s Ss
spot. The result Of this policy il is sait would BE-
indeed. the continued existence OF houses OF i'll
fame. partly IN streets formerly residential and de-
serted by the better class OF occupants partly scat
tered IN the neigh borhOOd o. the great thorough
fares and elsewhere. and these will remain undis-
turbed under the condition that they remain unoo
truSive. The committee recognizes that this will
be criticised making compromise with sin. and
adds: The serious and weishty objections that lie
against the existence OF such houses are well
known But they are in every case objections which
really apply the existence OF prostitution itself
They could only be removed i prostitution itself
could SummarIly be eNtirpated-
Recognizing that this Is impossible. the committees
believes In treating the evil in such way that II
will work the least harm That way most peopl-
who lmpartiaIy study the subject Will agree with
il is TO found in preventing FAR may BE-
the spread OF the infection immortality Some
and women there always are who Will be Vi
ciOus there thousands who viii be what
circumstances make them. and the morals OF a
community depend largely the comparative
temptations 10 vice and Incentives 70 virtue held
out to this large class.