The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-18
Big Public Meeting to Be
Held by Monday Even
ing Club.
USURY SAID TO BE
CAUSE OF CRIMES
Specific Cases Will Be Related by
Speakers Where Tragedies
Have Followed.

Intending to strongly back up the
proposed West bill to Curtail the
activities of Washington's numerous
'loan sharks" a civic movement
win be formally launched next Mon
day night through which a hope is
expressed by its leaders that this
rapaciouS gentry may be driven out
Of business for all time.
TO FIGHT WITH VIGOR.
The head of the movement will
be In the Monday Evening Club,
ali organization composed of men
and women who are interested in
civic movements and municipal re-
form.
At meeting which will be held
at the Young Mems Christian As
sociation building a committee will
be appointed to take up the fight
on the loan sharks with vigor and
determination, and no stone will be
left unturned in the effort to arouse
public sentiment in favor Of the
pending loan shark legislation, and
force its passage by Congress.
Hundreds of invitations to attend
this meeting have been issued by
the Monday Evening Club and a
large attendance is expected.
Extortion Leads u Crime.
Addresses viii be mace by ". N.
Finley. OF Baltimore. president OF the
National Federation OF Remedial Loan
Agencies; Arthur II Ham. Of the sage
Foundation, and S. NJ Reynolds. OF the
Baltimore News.
Mr. F1nley's address will be based or
eleven years experience with and study
OF the business Of making loans TO the
poor Of his city by unscrupulous loar
agents. He Will present concrete cases
showing where small wage earners. once
In the clutches OF merciIess loan sharks
nave been driven to the desperate end,
OF committing crimes and wife desertior
when they thought they saw no escape
from their tormentors.
The Rev. DR.. John Van Soba{cl- -
pastor Of the Church of our Father
aflo chairman of the executive com.
nllttee OF the Monday Evening CIub
viii take leading part in the cam
palgn 10 crush the loan sharks Ue
beheFes the time is ripe TO enact Iegig-
lation that will drive tue unscriIpuIoUs
money lender from the held. while al
the same time giving ample protection
20 tnose VINO are IN the business on
legitimate business lines
Dr. van Schaick became Interested I'm
tne need Of remedial legislation about
Two years ago, when his attention was
caled 10 the cases OF severa! victims of
Gnfeeiing and relentless loan sharks In
Fesugatlon, he says, showed that these
borrowers were honest, well intending
men wnos by reason Of Sickness or death
IN their families, had been forced tC
seek the money lender or suffer the
Illumination OF admitting Inability 70 pay
heir debts 10 local merchants
Dr. van Schalck adds that he was as.
founded at the lack OF ordinary feeling
SHOWN these borrowers by the loan men
and IN two or three cases their hound.
ing almost resulted I'm tragedies.
IT ollhnlng the purposes Of this or
EAhlled campaign ON the loan sharks
Dr- Van Schaick this morning said.
In Clutches Through Sickness.
What We are trying TO do is TO make
II possible for the poor 90 borrow money
without facing ruin. Family crises or.
cur IN all classes Of society. sicl,ncs,
CONTINUED on Fifth De-