The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-27
MR.. ROCKEFELLER
TELLS Of BUREAU
STUDY OF SOCIAL HYGIENE is
INTENDED TO HAVE PER-
MANENT RESULTS.
lis NOT SENSATIONAL
NO CRITICISM OF OFFICIALS, BUT
SPIRIT is ESSENTIALLY ONE
OF CONSTRUCTIVE sUG-
GEsTION.

Ew YORK. ia, ~ ~ detcnse
of the bureau of social hygiene, which
is engaged in studying the social evil
/ with a view to its eradication, John
| d. Rockefeller. Jr., founder of the
| bureau, issued for publication tonight
a lengthy statement reviewing the
life of the bureau and declaring that
1t cannot be too strongly emphasized
that the spirit which dominates the
bureau to supplement its present in
mental or hystericai that it. is not a
spirit of criticism OF public officials
but that 1t is essentially a spirit of con-
structive suggestion and of deep sci
entific as well as humane interest In
a great work"
Mr. Rockefeller stated that he hoped
that the studies OF the bureau would
be completed by December, 1913 and
| that he would then turn his attention
to the formation of a definite plan
for dealing with the social evil in New
| York Later II is the intention of the
| bureau to supplment its present in
vestigatton with others covering many
cities in the United States, the object
| to become familiar with all phases OF
| the subject and with all methods %.
handling it which have peen tried In
this country and in Europe
MFR. RockefeIler's Statement.
The statement of Mr.. Rockefeller
says in part:
The bureau of social hygiene came
into existence about two years ago, as
a result of the work OF the special
grand jury appointed to investigate
the white slave traffic in New York
city. which served during the first half
eff The year ft.-6ne Of tfIe recon-
mendations made by 1t In the present
"A
its labors was that a public commits
sion be appointed to study the social
evil The foreman of that body sub
sequently gave careful consideration
to the character of the work which
might properly be done by such a
commission and the limitations under
which it would operate. In this con-
nection, separate, personal conferences
were held with over a hundred lead
ing men and women in the city. among
whom were lawyers, physicians bust
ness men, bank presidents, presidents
of commercial organizations, clergy
men, settlement workers. social work
ers. labor leaders, and reformers
These conferences developed the feel
ing that public commission would
labor under a number of disadvan-
tages, such as the fact that 1t would
be short lived: that its work would be
hardly do more than present recon-
mendations. The conviction also grew
that the main reason why more per-
manent results had not been obtained
by the various organizations which
had dealt with the subject of the So
cial evil during the past ten or fifteen
years was that most Of them were
temporary While active. they ma
terialiy improved the situation, but as
their efforts were relaxed. there CARE
the inevitable return to much the
same conditions as before, The
forces of evil are never greatly alarm
ed at the organization OF investigating
or reform bodies, for they know that
they are generally composed of busy
people. who cannot turn aside from
their own affairs for any great length
of time to carry on reforms, and that
sooner or later their efforts will cease,
and the patient denizens OF the under
world and their eXploiters can then re-
appear and continue the traffic as for
merly.
Not n Temporary Wave.
So the conviction grew that in or
der to make a real and lasting i'm
proyement in conditions, permanent
organization should be created. the
continuation of which could not be
dependent upon a temporary wave
OF reform. nor upon the life OF any
man or group of men, but which
would go on, generation after gem
Grafton, continuously making warfare
against the forces of evil. 1t also
appeared that a private organization
would have. among other advantages,
certain freedom from publicity and
from political bias, which a publicly
appointed commission could not so
easily avoid.
Therefore. as the initial step. in the
winter of 1911 the bureau OF social
hygiene was formed. It's present
members are Miss Katharine Bement
Davis, superintendent OF the New
York State RefoTmatory for Women,
at Bedford Hills New York: Paul NJ.
Warburg, of the firm of Kuhn. Loeb
C Company; Starr !. Murphy. of the
New York bar; and John d. Rookie
Teller, Junior. AS the work develops,
new members may be added.
In conclusion. 1T cannot be too
strongly emphasized that the spirit
which dominates the work of the
bureau is not sensational or sentiment
tai or hysterical; that it is not a spirit
of criticism of public officials; but that
1t is essentially a spirit of constructive
suggestion and of deep scientific as
vel SIS ;istissas ne Interest srl "a great
world prOhlern.