Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-14
KENYON FIGHTS
THE REDL|CHT
BILL CLEANING UP WASHINGTON
TENDERLolN REPORTED FAv.
ORABLY TO SENATE.
PROGRESSIVE PLANS
Senate's Younger Democrats Pledge
Themselves to Progressive Pro-
gram and House May Follow
the Same Lines.
| e. H. HANSON. |

|
Washington, D. c., Jan. 11.-Sena'
tor kenyon's bill aimed to wipe out
the red light districts of Washington
is to be reported favorably in the sen.
ate this week by the senate district
! committee.
| The last hearing was held Tuesday
before the subcommittee, after which
it was voted to report the bill favor
ably to the whole committee. 1t was
scheduled to be reported favorably
to the senate from the latter on Fri
day.
During Tuesdays hearing there was
a conflict between various Washing
ton ministers as to whether elimina-
ton or segregation is better for the
settlement of the vice question Some
of them favored carrying out the police
scheme of segregation, although the
evidence before the committee show.
ed that the police hadn't done much
toward segregating.
The committee also made some i'm
portant discoveries as to the method
of renting houses for illegal purposes
in the capital and as a result several
prominent real estate firms may be
called on the carpet this session or
early next. One bit of testimony
showed that>in the southwest section,
only a few blocks from the capitol
building and close to three schools,
several rows of houses had been
erected within year just to be let
for immoral purposes.
During the hearing, Senator Ken
yon had a sharp combat with Rev.
Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the New
York avenue Presbyterian church.
Dr. Radcliffe favored the police plan
of segregation, if carried out by the
police. .. 'a'. So.
DO you believe the red light dis
tricts are right or wrong?" Senator
Kenyon asked DR.. Radcliffe.
Il don't think that question ought
to be asked now. the minister replied.
do you believe in compromising
with any evil?" persisted the senator.
I'VE have to sometimes" replied DR..
Radcliffe. Your whole life as leg
islator is one of compromise"
Not very much,'. retorted Senator
Kenyon. ~, .,5
DR.. Radcliffe then said that he had
favored breaking up the red light dis
tricts previously but that the effort
had resulted in the spread Of vice, for
some reason or another.
The truth of the matter in Wash
ington is that the police department,
as elsewhere, doesn't handle the prob
lem vigorously enough. A forceful
police administration is about all that
is necessary 70 clean up city Of this
size, but where the police wink at
vice, vice is sure to exist.
An occasional arrest for MASKING is
made here, but all the offender has to
do Is to deposit three dollars, give a.
and fail to appear for trial.
If he does appear the prosecuting
witness never appears and then no
conviction can result.
Proaressives Make Plans.
Twenty-eight democratic senator's
have signed pledge to run the upper
house as progressive and not as a
reactionary body.
These younger democrats are going
about their business systematically.
They intend to let the senior senator's
have the chairmanships to which they |
are entitled, but will $50 arrange the
that majority Of each
shall be progressive.
While there will be strong fight I,
in the house over committee assign.
it is generally believed that the
house is close enough to the people to
be kept in the progressive camp and
that if 1t shows any signs of becoming
President Wilson will
whip it into line in hurry.
Col. Smith Brookhart of Washing
ton, Iowa, is in the capital on busi-
ness connected with the National Rifle
range.
Miss Neylen of Des Moines, who
has been assisting in Representative
Peppers Office pending the arrival OF
State Chairman Reed, received her
first wireless message Wednesday,,
when Mr.. Pepper informed her that
he Panama, aboard which the con.
sressional party was returning from
he isthmus, was fog-bound OF Sea-
gate. Mr. Pepper expected to be back
n Washington on Thursday, but he
lotified her that his arrival would be
Indefinite. He arrived Thursday night.
Anxious About illinois.
Very nearly every member of both
houses of congress was interested in
he proceedings of the opening day OF
he Illinois state legislature but be-
ause of a tremendous storm In the
vest, all of the telegraph and tele-
hone wires were down and not bit
# news was received.
Ip Illinois sends two democrats to
he senate, the majority In the upper
,ody will be comparatively safe for
he democrats. Without them it is
lgured that there will be forty-nine
and forty-seven republicans,
,rogressives and insurgents. T.
Much depends on Illinois and the
democrats are looking forward hope
ully.
Congressman elect Tavenner. Of the