Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-20
WOMEN DISCUSS
SOCIAL PURITY
Mass Meeting at First NJ. {.
Church Today Under Direc-
ton of Ladies.
SALT LAKE Ro0MING HOUSES
Mrs. y. y. simpkin Handles the SUB
ject without Gloves aud Makes
Some Startling Statements,

Today at the First NJ. Il. Church a
woman's mass meeting was held in the
interest Of social purity. under dtrec-
tion Of committee comprising Mrs. ~
u shepherd Mrs freeman Morning
star and Mrs. A. II King the opening
meeting beginning at 10 o'clock with a
short session of prayer and praise. con-
Quoted by MIS-. D. N. Corser. A num-
Der of hymns were sung and Mrs
Shepherd made a brief introductory
speech explaining the purpose of the
gathering and saying that 1t was her
hone that a thousand women would re-
spond to the cali for an effort for So
dial purity
Miss LIE sourd, representing the v
w. c. A., was the first on the program
and gave a most interesting sketch Of
the work known as the Travellers
AID which aims to be of use TO strang-
ers at the railway stations. She said
that many times women and young
girls arrived in the strange cities,
alone too late. perhaps, to go to
friends or with no idea that
they might not spend the night at the
stations These might often be the
prey Of reprobate travellers, looking for
such victims, and important aid had
been rendcren by the Aid members In
this way She told also of the work
done IN cheering the lonely and friend
less in such ways reciting many touch
ing instances that had been met In her
work.
FOR DETENTION HOME.
She was followed by Mrs. Z. II, Me-
Mahon whose topic was the detention
home and who spoke convinelngly of
the need for such homes both for boys
and girls, citing the good work done by
the Canyon Crest farm In saving the
young from the streets. reform school
and prison. Mrs Mcmahon said when
she saw the number of young people on
the streets and frequenting places OF
night amusement without care or chap
oronage, she felt almost that there was
a crying need for third detention
home--for parents-who allowed these
dangerous conditions. She read a let
ter from a Canyon Crest boy now
placed In an eastern school, as tes-
timony OF the reform influence of homes
conducted on right principles, and said
in her opinion there should be Can-
yon Crest home for girls where do
nestc science, and home Ideals ana
environment might be taught and en-
training Said that the Canyon Crest
people We're ready to undertake 1t When
means could be raised. Miss Rene'
Redman sang beautiful lullaby, ac'
companied on. the organ by Mrs. A. FL
Peabody
RooMINGHoUsE EVIL.
Perhaps the most important talk OF
the morning was that of Mrs II. A.
SimplSin, on the clearinghouse Evil, T"
and who has been devoting much
time to an investigation Of this
question Mrs. Simpkin spoke au-
thortatively from data secured
both from roomlnghouse proprletors
and police which had revealed appall-
ing conditions--in many cases too much
so TO bear recital. She gave instances
showing 10 what an alarming extent the
rOominghouse Is used for immoral pur-
poses, one only by the members of the
social underworld but by so-called ere
spectacle members Of society" includ-
ing both married men and women
young men and girls. She said that
the laxness of the laws governing ar
rests ana fines was greatly RESPONSE
BILE for the fouIishing of this evil, as
the payment OF the stipulated ball Sc
cured Immunity from publicity, which
in itself would be the most powerful
remedial agency. She said that the po-
lice We're frequently and unjustly
blamed for conditions for which they
were not officially responsible In the
first place there Is but one policeman
for every 200 people and one o. the
force had said that in the time II took
10 thoroughly complete his heat. the
roominghouses had time both 10 MI and
empty themselves in his absence. An
other hindrancc To interference Is the
fact that II an officer makes a mis-
To aI..Fa Ia