New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-28
CITY STILL PRETTY BAD
Law Enforcement Lax, Says Re-
port of Research Committee.
SOCIAL EVIL is RAMPANT
State and City Departments and
Various Business Interests
Held Responsible.

The research committee Of the Comnlt-
tee of Fourteen issued yesterday COM
prehensive report on THE Social EVli III
New York City 1t is study OF Id"
enforcement II IS not cheerful reaolie-
There has been some decrease In the num-
Der of disorderly houses, the report says
but enforcement OF laws is stin lax
The responsibility is distributed among
eight departments the committee says IN
Guiding the two state departments OF hA-
else and Labor, one state commissloh-fio
bstion-and five city departments, incluo-
ing Tenement, Buildings, Health, Licenses
and Correction. The committee points out;
I'VE have been unable to learn that any
conferences are held looking toward some
uniform enforcement Of laws or that any
effort is being made TO coordinate the
work. even where two or more agencies are
charged with the enforcement OF the salhe
law"
II Is suggested in the report that the
Mayor appoint an unsalaried commission
10 study the social evil here and propose
remedies.
In regard TO the business interests in
VOWED the report says
The prostitute if she succeeds in getting
her patron TO buy drinks, earns proft
for the brewer; If she uses Raines Ia"
hOfel SIZE QlNlO6S fS[lal Win p1oEAASNS@'
and IL she freouents dance h2ll she pays
her way. She also earns money Tor the
telephone company and messenger service,
for these are used extensively by ner az
night The amount she earns must cover
most OF these items or she cannot De
successful prostitute IN New YORK Clt ~
rect connivance. OF these various business
interests that she conducts her business
i is not the demand and supply which
makes the public tolerate this abnormal.
arfificiaily stimulated vice situation, bul
the business interests and political ex-
pediency-thinss which we are learning are
IIndernirine political freedom and economic
Independence. as well as menaclng the
moral integrity of men, women ana emil
We have TO deal. then. with vice as
business. conducted for profit with various
benefciaries in all walks OF life, rather
than what is termed demand ana supply
This latter is so distorted and so abnormal
IN its appeal. due to some OF the eHorts
20 secure larger financial returns. that II is
doubted II those most hopeless about i'm
movements would care TO use this as ala
excuse for doing nothing were the real STU
alton known
The existence of white slave conditions
is made manifest as follows:
Prostitution as carried on in New York
requires the services of procurers and pro
TeCtors These secure women, protect them
while at work and help them 10 avoid pun
ishment and evade serving sentences. I'M
moral women are considered TO be without
and are quickly arrested. Street gangs, po-
fitical social and athletic clubs bear close
relation TO this system. The records OF 10
seduction cases show that 156 per cent
were discharged. Two cases have been
brought under the compulsory prostitution
laws since their passage and none under
compulsory marriage Nagrancv and dis
orderly conduct laws are largely used 10
deal with the cadet" OF c65 men tried
on these charges 5.s per cent We're dis
charged AS per cent sent to the work
house ISe per cent fined and ga per cent
were released on probation or good be
havior bonds One-third Of those sent TO
the vorkhorse served their full time
The investigation was made by George j.
Kneeland. Frederick II. Within and num-
Der of others.
probation system is recommended. with
a chief probation officer, as an enforcing
and controlling agency, co-ordinated and
having complete. adequate and accurate
records and means OF Identification, proba-
ton officers TO be civilians and not police
officers.