Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-23
VICE Commission
TOLD OF. CAPITAL
Bill to Be introduced Providing
for an Inquiry
Here.
PROMINENT PERSONS
HEAR THE TESTIMONY
Capt. Hollinberger, DR.. Woodward
and Others Testify at Hearing
Held by Illinois Lawmakers.

Held by Illinois Lawmakers.
| Vice conditions throughout the countr.
were laid bare and means for preventing
immortality in Washington and elsewhere
| were discussed at a largely attended hear
| ing before the Illinois vice commission al
| the New Willard Hotel yesterday after
noon. Men and women prominent in up
lift work in the District appeared before
| the visiting commission to help them solve
the question of "Why girls go wrong?'
The hearing was held after the members
of the commission had asked Presiden,
Wilson to call a national conference or
the subject in Washington next fall, and
he had promised to carefully consider the
question.
Representative Robert Hill of Illinois
appeared at the hearing to state that az
soon as the extra session of Congress
convenes he will introduce in the House
| bill providing for the establishment OF
vice commission for the District to in.
vestigate conditions here and cooperate
with the commissions of other states te
solve the vice question. His announce
ment was greeted with applause.
Call "Spade a Spade"
Speaking plainly, and calling "spade
spade, as one of the witnesses put 1t
Social workers, both men and women
discussed the vice question, while an
audience, made up largely of prominent
society. women but including many clergy
men, judges and ,other men, listened at
tent1vely, and at times applauded vigOr-
OuSly.
The hearing did not deal primarily
with conditions in the District, although
time and time again wages paid girls
mere, the existence of the social evil here
and the reform work done here were
taken up and discussed. Police Capt
Hollinger. in command of the first pre-
cinct, appeared to tell how CONNER
cfalized vice is managed here. and how
much of it exists.
Lack of Proper Training.
Lack of proper training in the homes
and of the right kind of education in the
schools was given as the basic reasons
for the downfall of girls by the majority
Of the witnesses. The members Of the
commission had gotten the impression in
other cities that low wages are largely
saScpnsibIe, but this fact was denied time
Hna -Ssatn at the hearing yesterday. Sew
eral heated tits between members of the
commission and witnesses followed in
Sauiries along the line OF the connection
between sin and low wages.
Rag" dances, ''mashinE" immoral
plays. improper books. Joy rides and
some moving picture shows were criticised
by different witnesses as having part
in the downfall of girls. 1t was declared
that there is great need for an i'm
proyement in modern methods of teach
ing: and in the supervision by parents
over their children.
That immortality is more prevalent
among working girls than among other
I girls was denied by several Of the woman
witnesses. Members of the commission
explained that they were not attempting
to make this appear So but that they
We're merely seeking to get at the real
facts.
Men Are Blamed.
Men We're blamed by some of the wit
nesses for being the direct cause for the
downfall of most immoral women. Stan
ley Finch, United States commissioner in
charge of white Save" investigations, de.
clared that in '9O per cent of the cases OF
fallen women men were primarily at
fault" Marriage and promises of mar
riage were said to be the most prevalent
methods of leading girls and women
astray.
Advocacy of the use of the whipping
post for traffickers in women and dis
marry younger We're other distinctive
features of the hearing. State Senator
Beali of Illinois, a member of the COM
mission proposed taxing all men more
than thirty-two years old who remain un-
married, but DR.. W. C. Woodward, Dis
trict health officer, said this age was too
old.
Votes for Women"
The question of "votes for women was
injected into the hearing twice and met
with enthusiastic applause, mixed with
| laughter. Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley, wife
| Of DIR. Wiley and president of the House
keepers Alliance and Mrs. Mary Beard
| Of New York said they thought the vice
question would be more easily settled ii
| women We're given the ballot.
| Lieut.. Gov Barrett O'Hara of Illinois
| chairman of the visiting commission pre-
sided at the hearings. but State Senators
| NielS JUL. Edmund Beail. Il. jeff Tossey
and ID. L. Woodward the other members
asked numerous questions. NJ. Blair
Coan. investigator for the commission
| had charge OF the arrangements. Mr.
. Hara started TO swear the first wit
| ness. but it was decided he had not the
authority in Washington
Those Who Testified.
ter. International commissioner of the
British Federation for the Emancipation
OF Sweated Women, Girls and White
Slaves: Stanley Finch, Police Capt Hol
linberger, Mrs. Archibald Hopkins, Mrs
i Adolph Kahn. president of the Alliance
of Jewish Women: Mrs. Harvey w
Wiley. Mrs. j. p. S. Neleigh of Neighbor
hood House, Representative Robert Hill
of Illinois, DIR. w. c. Woodward, Mrs. A
A Birney, president of the mothers con
gress; Robert S. Barrett, of Mrs
Kate Walter Barrett, president of thu
Florence Crittenton Homes, and DR. FL
nora Folkmar a number of other wei
known men and women were present pre-
pared TO testify, but there was rot sufh
cient time To hear them. They will writ,
their opinions to the commission.
Lieut.. Gov. O'Hara introduced Senate
| Juul, who explained the history and OBJ
$ jects of the commission. He said tha
, the investigation had showed that som
! working girls in Chicago receive very loy
! wages. As the investigation proceeded
he said, II was found that little could b
i done unless a national movement wa
started. He declared that some terribl
conditions had been disclosed
More Protection in Europe.
5 Senator Beall. who introduced the reso
luton in the Illinois senate providing 70
, the investigation, told of a recent visi
) abroad, and said he was convinced tina
I people in Europe are doing more to pro
tect their women than are Americans. II
said that the testimony has showed tha
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