New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-08
VICE COMMISSION STRONG
Philadelphia Authorities to Aid
Newly Appointed Body.

Philadelphias vice commission. which
was appointed last week by Mayor. Blank
enburg. has not so many members as the
Chicago commission. but there arc more
women on A. The Chicago body was made
ny 81 twenty-eght mon and two women
while Philadelphia commission has six
teen men and H,e women or the entire
number there are two Protestant clergy
men. a rabbi. Catholic priest. three
physicians, an editor. four lawyers and
several social workers and business men
luncheon given h, tho city club Of
Philadelphia, where the advisability Of
having such q commission was discussed
was responsible FOR giving the movement
ifs first impetus Dean Sumner. who di-
rected the Chicago Investigation. delivered
an address. and the other speakers were
Jane adams. Or Prince \. Morrow
James Bronson Reynolds. George l.. Por-
ter and Maud Miner
William Clarke Mason. the chairman AZ
the newly appointed commission. an
nounccd after the FIRST meeting. which was
held early this week that the whole power
Of the Police Bureau had been placed at
the disposal Of the vice commission. This
establishes a condition of affairs which
believe has not been duplicated In any
other American city, said Mr. Mason.
because Of the entire fricndliness Of the
administrator toward the proposed lnves-
legations the suggestion Of having the
work done with the help of the city police
and detectives. without calling In experts
from other cities, + being considered.
Dean Sumner in his talk at the city club
luncheon laid emphasis Ipon the hopeless
ness, in his opinion. OF getting al thc facts
through any municipal department. The
speaker criticised the whole system OF deal
iuE with tho problem OF vice. lie said:
Prostitution can never be localized II
IS unconstitutional Therefore. what do We
do? We turn over to that department Of
public administration which H. most liable
To- bo neither honest nor efficient this
greatest Of social problems. I refer To the
Inlicc We give them Il throefOld power:
First, to make pseudo laws To take tho
IIac, Of de iacto laws when cannot exist:
second, the power of Tia" judiciary to eX-
pound these pseudo laws. and third, the
power to execute the laws and punish the
offenders.
And. mark YOU. no group of citizens can
stand ~ against such tremendous power AS
this, where they are handling IN illegal
business whose receipts are Sl60O0.GOO "A
year. and not break down under IT, There
are honest. efficient policemen. but their
work r. exceedingly hard.
We can make general statements like this
without doing injustice ! do not want YOU
to think for one minute that "" do not
have honest policemen We do. and all
praise to them.
You may ask what has the vice commits
sion done In Chicago We have not had n
sympathetic administration and We do not
expect anything will be- done perhaps for
the next year or two but IL takes time for
ignorance To be displaced Nv knowledge.
and when the people Of Chicago or rhila-
rrIphla get a knowledge OF the real s!tua-
ton ! tell you they will not rest content
with that knowledge bat there will be "a
new conscience that Will do something TO
change the situation which IL breaking
dow" character more than all the saloons
or gambling dcns or vicious conditions in
the community, ana Is making for more
incfiiclency and dishonesty In our public
administration than any other problem