The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-21

Today public opinion is aroused 20
fighting pitch against the loan sharks
or washington
The voice Of protest against this or
ganiZed system Of extortion. raised fee
bly, a while back by a few of its VIC
TINS, is now increased to a volume that
threatens destruction 10 a hand that
has laid heavy toll on the community
Tor years
Reprisals such as Determined, outrag-
ed men inhict on those they deem their
enemies are in store for those disciples
Of usury who have fed and fattened so
long on the weakness OF heIplessness
OF The borrowing pSor.
Lures and Snares.
The lures and snar,s laid for the feet
Of the unwary are to be the boomer
angs 10 wreck the elaborate system Of
oxtortion constructed y the loan shark.
Is the promise today Of the citizens who
last night assembled at the Y. NJ. c. A.
building under the auspices Of the Mon
Gay Evening Club, TO begin an active
crusade against the loan shark evil"
rom today on the fight will be v7aged
10 Iorce the passage through Congress
or the bill prepared by Commissioner
west and his colleagues. There viii he
{ 10 compromise with the forces they. .ov-
pose and. as one OF these deteruIred
crusaders expressed II last night "tbe
hsht VIII 60 on until these unscr1p1IIous
'oan sharks are fleeing like rats from q
( scuttled ship"
iHa1 these citizens are determined 20
/ secure at this session ~ C,ona-.e-
IeinediaI legislation became evident
from the outset Of last nights r1eettrr,
Inc expression or the speakers. sol,-
eral or whom have studied for vesr,
{ IN this and other communities the e,-rI.
. lHclueht 70 the practices Of the loan
sh"fh' seemed only 20 heighten this
determined sentiment The two r,,n-
"a GU OI more VINO were preseut-aUd
they included the most conservative and
respected citizens Of the Cauifa1- 49,
stories Of hardship and suffering resIIIt
Ing from the methods Of casehardened
and unscrupulOus mOney-lenders. heard
them characterized as the creators Of
an evil that has grown 10 be a com
munity curse" learned how this same
money-lender, with soft assurances Of
easy payments and fair treatment
lures his borrower o. until the vice
closes with a grip as tight as # is
cruel-and all came away willing and
eager TO close the career Of the loan
shark
Urge Bills Passage.
And today, as the result Of this meet
Ing, "a working committee, composed Of
citizens representing all walks of life.
VIII be appointed and assigned 10 the
task Of appearing before the District
I Committees Of Congress 70 urge the pas
sage Of the anti-Shylock bin fathercd by
. Commissioner West.
Aside from the addresses Of the three
out-ot-tUwu speakers, two OfsWhom have
recently participated iu a crusade
against the loan sharks Of Baltimore or
gauized by the BaIimo News. the
1 appearance OF Comm issIoners Macfar-
| land and Vest was highly pleasing 10
/ the organizers of the meeting. Both
the Commissioner spoke OF the need
Of publicity and OF arouslns public SEN
timent 90 make certain the passage Of
the proposed remedial legislation, and
both won high favor with their auditors
by their declaration that they hoped TO
sec this corrective measure well on
its way through Congress before they
retired from office.
: ''Some of the conditions that have
come to my notice since I began this
lloan shark investigation are a disgrace
/ TO the National Capital " said Commis-
/ sioner West. "The solution Of the
problem seems TO lie in the establish
ment Of a remedial - n association" ."
Drive Out Sharks.
w. n. Finley told Of the conditions
that existed IN Baltimore before the
IetrnDaIgu was started TO drive out .he
/ loan shark
eleven years ago" said Mr.. Finley,
CONTINUED on Page Eighteen-l