The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-21
SCOTS At Necessary Evil" Ar
gument and Believes That
Dens Can Be Wiped Out
Completely
PLANS CONFERENCES
WITH SOCIAL WORKERS
DR.. W. A. Wilson, Making Vice
Survey For Board of Com
merce, Called In

Police Commissioner John GILES.
pie is preparing TO begin u vigorous
crusade against organized vice in De
troit.
AS the first step he conferred with
Dr. W. A. Wilson head OF the Flor
>ence Crittenton mission. who is pre-.
parlng all exhaustive report on vice
conditions In this city for the Board
OF Commerce.
Commissioner Gillespie has no
definite policy in view regarding the
abolition or regulation BY segrega-
ton and other means OF organized
vice Ia the city Before adopting u
vice policy he will call in conference
representatives OF the various organ
izations brought more or less IN
touch with the vice problem. From
them he will obtain suggestions that
will assist him In framing ais policy
Dr. Wilson has been working over
year on his vice report for the
Board OF Commerce, and he stated.
Wednesday, that he would not have
IL ready until late in the fall.
The police commissioner mas no in.
timation as TO the nature of the re-
port but he has stated that he viii be
glad TO work in conjunction with the
Board OF Commerce, as we'll as all
other anti-yice societies and com.ns-
sions In the city. In his attempt TO
arrive at proper solution OF the
problem that is confronting every
large city In the country.
Personally. the commissioner be
lieves that organized vice is not a
necessary evil. as some persons ar
que. lie is not sure at this time thIt
! II will be possible TO abolish organ
lied vice In Detroit, but he will con-
duct his investigation, preliminary TO
| the crusade with that end in view
Ii he finds that his ideas are noe
practical along that line. he will work
ont plan 10 segregate the vice dis
trict. establishing dead line
around II.
One thing that the commissioner
will insist on is that the police de-
partment be given more power In the
regulation of vice dens, II they arc
10 be countenanced at all
He intends to ask the council TO
pass an ordinance licensing all de-
orderly houses and compelling them
| to pay small annual fee. To &C
complish this the council will have TO
resort 10 the subterfuge OF licensing
all lodging houses listing the vice re-
sorts as lodging" houses and the IN
mates as ''roomers." The police COM
missioner has been advised by legal
experts that this can be done 10 ge'
around the state law which does not
tolerate disorderly houses within the
boundaries OF the state.
The disorderly houses are now un'
der police regulation entirely. operat-
ing without a license on the sunrance
OF the department. Commissioner
Gillespie does not think that 1t is a
good thing for the morals or the po-
lice department to have this arbitrary
power placed in the hands or tue
officers having the surveillance or the
vice district. He has ordered copies
OF the police rules and regulation
taken out OF disorderly houses. be-
cause he does not think the depart
ment had the authority TO put them
there in the first place.
BY placing disorderly houses under
strict ordinance, the police depart
ment can regulate them In much the
same manner that the saloons are
now being regulated, only the ponce
will be given greater authority over
the vice dens, so that the violation Oh
the ordinance viii mean the positive
revocation of the license, putting tue
yiolator out OF business for all time
< 10 come In this city
Detroit, at the present time, Is III
a deplorable condition as far as the
regulation OF vice is concerned, saiu
the commissioner. The fault Is mat
these vice dens have been allowed 10
spread all over the half-mile circle,
until now you can find at least one
den in almost any block inside tho
half.mile circle, and few on the out
side.
II see no reason why organized
vice should be allowed TO hourish III
Detroit. | do not regard IL as an uh-
necessary evil, although there arc
many people, who have made STUDY
OF the vice problem in this city, VINO
differ with me
az will make my plans for the abso-
lutte abolition of organized vice In De
troit with the proper support | can
clean up the city in year or two. II
Il a gigantic undertaking when you
stop 70 think to what extent these
vice dens have been allowed 70 flour
ish In the past~Dut ! am convinced
that II can be done.
In outlining my policy however, /
will not be bull.headed, and | will be
open to conviction. II can be shown
by authorities who have studied this
problem longer than |, that II is q
necessary evil, then | Will be willing
70 work for the segregation or re.
striction OF the vice district.
The underworld life in Detroit has
had a bad influence on the morals OF
the city. IL breeds criminals and
makes trouble for the police depart
ment. II is hard for me to believe
that organized vice is necessary
evil"
DR. Wilson, although he has not
completed his report, has stated that
he will be glad to cooperate with the
police commissioner in outlining a
new policy for the regulation or ex'
termination OF organized vice in De
troit. other social workers have as
sured the commissioner that they will
be glad TO work with him.
IL had intended TO take up the sa-
loon problem first. but conditions that
have been brought TO my attention
make II imperative that | attempt a
solution OF the vice problem first,
says the commissioner