Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-12-04
BLAMES Low MENTALITY.
Jadse Olson Urges Teach sg T. Gem
bat Vice He Locks 10 Prevention.
Dessh Rste Decgeasing.


Advancing what be termed con-
struetive policy whereby the social
evil may be reduced, Judge Harry
Olson, chief justice of Chicago's
Municipal Court, Of Baltimore, held
the close interest of q large audience
which had gathered in Osler HslI, OF
the Medical and Chirurgieal Faculty,
to hear him.
The meeting was held under the
auspices Of the Society FOR the Sup
pressing of Vice and the audience
included large number Of physi-
clans, a number of public oficiels,
among them being DR.. Nathan K.
Gorter, Commissioner of Health, and
many social workers DR.. Howard
A. Kelly presided.
Judge 0lson's address was sur
prisipg in many ways, particularly
with regards the causes OF prostitu-
ton among women. Instead of in
sufficient wages in stores and factor
les being largely responsible, his IN
vestigaticns have led him to the con-
clusion that defective mentality is re-
sponsible in fully 80 per cent. Of the
cases.
He defined the various classes of
the mentally deficient and showed by
convincing statistics that fully half
of the women of the underworld were
sunnormal and that many OF them did
not have more than the mentality Of
children Of twelve years. VAST sums
of money were being spent on the
detectives of both sexea, he pointed
out after they had committed some
offense against society.
The time had come, he thought,
when some Of this money should be
spent on them before they were
brought into court for their various
offenses, and when It would result in
their living decent and happy lives,
and before they would become centres
for the spreading of the various so
cisl diseases. The teaching of sex
hygiene in the schools, he thought,
was of secondary Importance to the
Identification Of the subnormal chill
dren during school age.
This was necessary for the protec-
tioa Of the race and By the segregs-
tioR OF these mentally defective chill
dren in special schools society would
be able to defect from the slums and
the life OF the underworld those who
from no fault of their own become
the recruits for prostitution. He
figured out that by this plan at least
so per cent. of the social evil would
be prevented. This in itself would
tend to reduce the social evil among
the normal by 10 per cent more.
If thu renting Of houses for immoral
purposes were made q felony, this
would reduce it by another 10 per
cent.
"And again. he said, eff by the
wise teaching of animal and plant
hushandry in the lower grades and
sex hygiene in the high schools we
can reduce it still another 10 per
cent, we shall have grand total Of
so per cent. reduction. The remain
ing 20 per cent, be said, would have
TO be left TO a future gene ration to
deal with. He advocated the segre-
gatitn of the mentally. morally and
physically diseased prostitutes for
purposes Of sanitation, making the
renting of property for immoral
purposes a felony, the enforcement IF
the laws directed against the socisl
evil, municipal control, with close
supervision Of all places OF public
amusement, publicity Of facts con-
corning the social evil and the estab-
ishment of courses Of study in biol
ogy in colleges and training schools
for teachers
The coming of women into larger
in public life. he said,
is distinct sid in the campaign
against vice They will demand high
sr ideals Of the candidates for public
ofiiee and higher standards Of conduct
II Office, snd more efficient service.
This sentiment was literally applaud |
d AT the conclusion Of Judg- Oh
.on's address a number Of those in the !
audience asked 1 number OF questions
n points of his address, which he
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