The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-08-17
WOMEN WORKERS
SAFE IN SALOONS
Maj. MCPHERSON, of Local Salvation
Army, Says ''Lassies" Are Courte-
ously Treated in Bar Rooms.

am convinced that our women
workers suffer no decentralization from
their contact with the saloons" said
Maj. VIM. II. Mcpherson, OF the De-
troit Salvation Army, In commenting
Tuesday afternoon. on the action OF
the Denver authorities In prohibiting
salvation Army lassies from entering
saloons, on the ground that such
places demoralize them.
There Is rule In the Salvation
Army" the major continued, (which
prevents any woman worker under the
age OF 10 from entering the saloons.
Girls over that age, l think, are ca
pable of taking collections In the sa-
looms without being demoralized or
contaminated In any way. ! have new
er heard Of single instance where
as result of her visiting the saloons.
AS rule. they are given courteous
treatment. The saloonkeepers, for the
most part, do all they can to help US.
| know OF one case where the saloon
keeper actually sold War Crys for
one OF our girl workers while she was
i'll. She had been In the habit OF
visiting his place every Saturday.
1T isn't always that way, though.
One saloonist threatened to turn his
dog on one of our girls II she persist
ed In coming into his bar room. She
smiled at the threat and returned as
usual, the following week. In the
meantime she had prayed for the sa-
loonkeeper and also asked for Gods
help in the matter. The saloonkeeper.
true to his word, turned the dog on
her. but, strange as II may seem. the
animal. always regarded as vicious,
stopped snarling and growing when
II approached our worker. She smiled
as the animal came towards her and
surprised the owner by pattfng the
dogs head
Saloon Patrons Liberal.
"Such instances as that surely show
that God is with our girls In their
work. They really have nothing to
fear wherever they go. 1t would be a
great mistake to keep them out OF the
saloons, for 1t Is there they do much
good. Many of our converts come from
the safuUu; as result ef the work our
girls do there. II Is also true that
much of our financial support comes
from the patrons of the saloons. Men
who patronize the bars are generally
more liberal with their money than
those who don't frequent the saloons.
They go there to spend their money
and don't seem adverse to handing q
portion of II over to our girls when
they appear. There is nothing wrong
In their going to the saloons, either,
for they are doing Just what Christ
did. Christ went among the publicans
and sinners and even ate with them.
Il cannot understand the action Of
the Denver authorities. I'm sure as
much good can be done by the Saliva
ton Army In the saloons Of that city
as In Detroit II may be that the sa-
loonkeepers have had something to do
with the order, as IL " not unlikely
that they find the Army workers are
getting some money that would flow in
to their Golfers, we're the girls to re-
main away. However, our girls will
continue to visit the saloons OF this
city as long as the authorities permit
them to do So"
Police Stand by Lassies.
Police Supt Downey says the De-
troit authorities have no intention
OF following the action Of the Denver
police in regard to the Salvation
Army girls and the saloons.
II have never heard Of Salvation
Army girl being insulted," said the
superintendent. "In fact, l have been
In saloons while the Salvation Army
girls were there with their War Crys'
and the gentlemanly way In which the
men behaved toward them was really
remarkable. OF course, the situation
is little different In Denver, because
there Is a wilder element abroad out
there"