The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-15
i -
CHURCHES failing
TO DO THEIR DUTY
To Lack Of Teaching Is Due
Great Growth Of Social
Evil.
LOW WAGES NOT REAL CAUSE
DR.. Peters Sends Out Letter
Calling Ministers to the
Work.
-oW WAGES NOT REAL CAUSE
Especial to The mines Dlspatch.l

Especial TO The Tfmes-Dispa tch.
New York, March 1.-THE downfall
of many women, particularly girls of
tender age. is ascrbed in letter just
sent out to ministers. priests and rabbits
by DR.. John r. Peters, chairman of the
committee of fourteen. to the failure
of the churches to "inculcate proper
moral precepts and to provide home
training"
DR.. Peters's letter calls on those at
the head of the citys churches to stir
the parents OF young women to the
vital need of good home training and
to bestir themselves personally and ac-
lively in the propagation of this method
Of preventing viciousness among girls
Keep your girl parishioners off the
streets, day and night and see that
their parents understand the necessity
Of supplying sound and interesting
home conditions" Is the tenor of DR..
Peters's admonitions to the ministry.
The view of the committee of four
teen. which has studied the social evil
for many years. is that low wages do
not send young women into lives of
bondage and shame While low wages
do work against future generations
and weaken girls moral fibre. the
committee feels they do not bring
about r. girls downfall unless she has
been deprived OF proper church and
home Influences.
This view is thoroughly in accord
with that expressed to-day by Miss
Inez Milholland. who has made study
of wage conditions, and by Miss Kath-
crime Bement Davis. superintendent OF
the New York State Reformatory for
Women, at Bedford Hills, which has
at present 212 inmates
Walter G. Hooke, executive secre-
tary of the committee of fourteen, said
to-day that the utter failure OF the
churches of the city to realize their
duties to young women and their pa
rents is primarily the cause of most
of the city's viciousness.
The church is not doing It's duty
In training young people in morals"
Mr.. Hooke said. ITO my mind. the
church is absolutely negligent in the
moral training of the young. We shall
have crime waves and Investigations
until doomsday unless the churches do
their appointed work.
neutrality-suspicious. new laws, new po-
lice commissioners, new anything-can
help the young women OF this city I'M
less all the churches of all donomina-
tions throw off their attitude of in
difference. of do-nothingness. and carry
out their tremendous obligations. On
every side you hear II said: The
churches are losing their influence
Yes, but why? Because they no longer
enforce their normal functions to the
young. particularly women.
Raising the wages of shop and fac
tory girls is highly desirable. We must
do something for those who are under
| paid But that is an economic, not a
/ moral, problem. 1t is an outrage to
say that because n girl is paid So or
SO week more she is less likely to
go wrong.
Tn any real crusade against white
slavery and it's attendant sins must
be arrayed, in the right order. the
church, the parents and then the po-
lice"
The number of girls who have not
lived an irregular life among those
sent to our care is negligible" writos
Miss Davis to Miss Milholland. "a
small proportion of those sent here are
skilled workwomen. The girls who
register as general houseworkers are
not trained servants. but have usually
been employed in the lowest stratum
of families.
I'VE get very few women who are
skilled in any occupation. We get a
large percentage who are below par
mentally. In many cases. although de-
finite occupations are given. they are
only casual Many of the girls work
Tor few weeks or months. then take
furnished room until they are tired
OF II, and try WORK again
Miss Milholland said that the wages
of shop and factory girls must be
raised. ms matter of justice to them
and TO the community in which they
live. and as an economic rigAt. not a
moral favor.
But" she added, 1T is shameful to
say that girls morals are good or
bad, dependent on her wages
of course, low wages tend to weak
en- girls moral strength. She sees
| about her girls who receive only the
same wages as herself. who are wear
ing fine clothes, living I'm nice locali-
ties. eating good food. 1 do not think
that girl can be decently housed
nourished and clothed on less than 50
week"