The Washington times., 1914-10-22

olneTS are carpenters, ana L nOUCeO
yesterday. that coming up behind
groups of workmcn suddenly. we
found them performing their tasks
cheerfully and not at all perfume
torily.
Scope of Reformation.
But in the women's reformatory.
most of them seem to be engaged as
laundresses. Now. you can't make
a laundress of every woman. They
need diversity of occupations as
we'll as the men. Therefore. the
scope of the woman's reformatory at
Occoquan should be broadened.
Let twenty-five or fifty of these
women, arrested under the Kenyon
law, be given heavy indeterminate
sentences, and their sisters will begin
to understand that Washington is
an unhealthy place for them, and
migrate"
1t was suggested that such a plan
would, at least temporarily, result
only in shifting the women upon
other cities. and he was asked:
What will be the ultimate of this
plan?'
lie replied: THE present effect, un-
doubtedly, will be a shifting from
segregated districts still obtain. But
ultimately, as the different commu-
mites abolish their districts, COM
mercialized vice will gradually be
under as good a control as larceny
or murder Is today
The United states has a long way
to go before she reaches the plane Of
crime control which foreign nations,
through a certainty of punishment
and the speed with which thev try
such cases, have brought over the
crime of murder.
To-day in the United States there
are 19 murders to every million of
population. Canada has only from
three to four: Germany, from four to
five: England. from ten to eleven;
France from eleven to fifteen, and
Belgium, fifteen.
The Feeble Minded Class.
Then. there is another contribu-
tory cause which will have to be
brught under control - feeble
show that not more than one
out Of every five unfortunate
women have normal brains. The
other four are what psychologists
term 'morons,' which means the
possessor of brain neither sane
nor insane. Often such women have
only the mentality of children from
ten to fourteen years of age. They are
drawn into the underworld through
the romance of the easy life.' That
romance must be dispelled and the
weak-minded controlled.
Most women Of this class are do
mestics. drawing $50 or $40 a month
and supplied with their room and
board. On such a basis the economic
side Of the question is not an i'm
portant one; though. of course. / do
not mean to. say that the need Of
money does not drive many women
into the red light districts.
But Washington need have no
grave apprehension. If constructive
work follows the red light law.
of reconstruction, and, as in every
such period. conditions are far
worse Immediately following re-
forms than they were before"
One Real Prosecution.
Speaking of the operation Of the
Kenyon red light law, which has
now been in effect in Washington
since last February. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney B. ]. Laws, who has
superintended the crusade Of the
city's police against commercialized
vice, said:
so far there has been but one
real prosecution under the Kenyon
law. That indictment is still pend
ing. 1t will probably come to trial
within the next few weeks.
THE authorities are encountering
real difficulty in proceeding under
this statute. 1t is a serious thing to
close up a property for a year and
assess a penalty Of $500 as the law
provides. Therefore, we must have
unshakable evidence before we pro-
ceed. There is plenty Of hearsay