The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-14
DEAN SUMNER FLAYS
SALOON AS GREATEST
OF SOCIAL EVILS
,coa,I.u.d from peg. oss,.

-
tendent for revision. He again hand
ed Il to us with only eight additional
names. We were still OF the opinion
mat facts were being suppressed, and
our Investigation proved that We
were right in-ouF-sn spieieha7=Me
found over 1000 fallen women In the
clty.-Now,- we feel suFe-that- the
superintendent of police was not sup
pressing. information; he gave us all
he had, we're certain OF that. The
great difficulty was that other oficials
were not making reports TO him In
accordance with the conditions as
they really WERE"
lis II your opinion that a commits.
sion Is necessary for the Investigation
OF vice In any large city," Dean
Sumner was asked.
II certainly do" he replied. "A
commission Is necessary 10 have the
facts revealed"
Asked whether he supported the
idea OF segregating the women OF the
street, the dean replied most emphat-
ically that he did not.
II don't believe that we can ex-
terminate the social evil right away"
he said, but l do believe that We can
cut II down onehalf We believe
that policy OF repression Is what
each city must adopt In regard to the
evil; that under no circumstances
should resorts be tolerated. The com.
nercializing of such a trafic must
certainly be stopped. II il the worst
vice We have in the world today"
Dean Sumner said that only about
I'll rem n he In.
We're there because of degeneracy;
that the majority of them were driy.
en- 10 such places on account OF the
payment or low wages In factories
and stores.
Investigation has shown" said the
dean mat girl. who is not living
Al nome, must have wage OF at
least 400 or IS a week TO rye re-
specially. IL has been clearly es-
taDiished that the economic situation
Is the prime cause OF this social evil,
the worst Of all vice. Pay the girls
better wages and the evil will great
~ diminish. Few girls go wrong Will.
fhhy, and | am safe-i saying that
80 per cent OF the inmates OF resorts
would gladly return TO lives OF de-
cency If rescued within the first year
after their downfall. After being in
such places over a year the condi.
tons are reversed. for no fallen wo-
man is then mentally normal She
usually resorts TO the use of LIQUOR
and drugs, with the result that she
is q physical and mental wreck with
In i've or seven years. Our insane
asyiums and poor houses are now
filled with former women OF the
streets"
DO you think woman suffrage
would help 10 lessen the evil?" was
asked OF Dean Sumner.
Yes he answered. While I am
not strong supporter OF woman suf-
frage. | am convinced that the giving
OF votes TO women would materially
assist in the eradication OF the vice.
For. II is certain that the women are
anxious TO elevate their sex. They
doubtless could put big crimp in the
nefarious business But the chief re-
form Is to change the hearts OF men.
The vice will last as long as there Is
lust In mems hearts. The men should
be made TO suffer for the part that
they play in the traffic, too; there
should be no double standard of NOR
atty; simply, one. for both men and
women, Theodore Roosevelt came
out strongly on this point in a con-
yersation had with him, only last
week. He said that any man who
grinds women into the mire with his
heel, ought TO suffer with her"
Dean Sumner said that Detroit,
among other cities, had been investi-
gated by the Chicago vice commis-s
sion but he was not able TO say what
conditions we're found here.
'As a member of the commission.
i cannot discuss Detroit. as we agreed
not TO speak OF conditions in any city
which We investigated and which
'$as not included In our report" said
the dean. Detroit was left ont OF
our report"