The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-05
VICE CAMPAIGN IS
GETTING SETBACK
Atlanta Is Experiencing
RevulsiOn of SEN
timent
TOO MUCH PUBLICITY
Bulletins of Men and Religion Move
ment Being Roundly Criticised As
Improper Reading Matter for
General Public
by ROBERT MORAN


Is experiencing a revulsion of sentiment
| regarding the vice campaign which has
been in progress now for more than a
year: and this is manifest in the critical
attitude assumed toward the bulletins OF
| the Men and Religion Forward Movement
which were largely instrumental in bring
Ing the campaign about and backing up
the police department IN it's crusade
These bulletins have been published as
paid advertising in all three of the At
ianta papers. the fund to meet expenses
of something like 5000 a year being
raised by subscriptions. and being most
largely contributed to by John j. Egan.
a young and wealthy Albanian who has
long been interested in moral and uplift
movements. Mr.. Egan Is unmarried and
lives with his mother. The greater part
of tho work is done by Marion jackson.
son of the late Capt. Harry Jackson, and
grandson of the hate Gen. Henry r.. Jack
son of Savannah. AIR. Jackson. IL is
stated, has also contributed uberally
from his own funds toward the move
ment. He is known. too, as the writer of
tho bulletins or advertisements which are
pi"osS SbpilStS tAPiISS-u anu constitute
q form of advertising which is regarded
as most effective.
Colonel Paxon First Critic
The first open public criticism OF the
bulletins came from Col. Frederic J.
Paxon. prominent merchant, Governor
Slatons chief of staff and leader in
the Baptist church: and II was not long
hpf Il
tate man, and mentioned as candidate
i for mayor, took the matter up along the
same line. Others quickly followed, and
Colonel Paxons stand has been widely
indorsed by many leading Atlanta citi-
zens including a number of ministers OF
the gospel.
Criticism was directed toward the bulle-
tins largely upon the ground that their
lang euage was often improper and indeli-
cate, and did not constitute the right sort
Of reading for the young into whose
hands the daily papers frequently go.
1t has also been urged that the bulle-
TINS have not been productive of good
results. 1t is asserted. and with plenty of
evidence to support 1t, that while At
lelta's segregated district has been closed
up, the evil aimed at has not been
reached, but has simply been scattered
to various quarters OF the city where 1t
Is more frequently productive of COM
plaint on the part of lawabiding citizens.
Neither the chief of police, nor the lead
ers of the men and religion movement,
will admit this. but have persisted iii
the statement that Atlanta is better NOR
ally than IL has ever been, and along
with a continuance of the fight on moral
conditions the bulletins nave taken up the
attack upon the near beer saloons and the
locker clubs.
Big ''Vice Squad"
In pursuance of his vice campaign,
Chief of Police Beavers some months ago
put on his vice squad" row consisting
of 30 men In plain clothes, but these have
done little or nothing; the number of ar
rests has been little l. any more than
under the old plan by the regular force
ano the detective department
While these 80 men have been doing
pain clothes duty as a vice squad, At
lanta has been suffering from burglaries
ard thefts of all sorts, and this sltua-
ton has led to criticisms of the depart
ment's policy on the part of members of
council and leading citizens.
1t is for this reason that strenuous eff
forts will be made at the meeting of coun-
ell next Monday to order the chief of po-
lice to restore these 30 men to uniforms
and put them back on the regular force.
There is every indication that the rather
tense situation which has arisen is going
to figure more prominently than any other
factor in Atlanta politics this year. The
men and religion movement has kept
pretty clear of politics with the excep-
ton Of a little tilt 1t had with Mayor
Woodward just before his election. But
If the issue Is made against its bulle-
tins and its policies, which it has an
nounced its determination to continue to
support, 1t will be difficult for il to avoid
joining political issue with It's antagonists.
Not only Mayor Woodward. who Is GER
tain to run again, but practically every
man who has been mentioned as a possi-
BILE candidate for mayor, approves the at
titude of Colonel Paxon toward the bull
Ietins. so that the executive committee
of the movement will not be able to line
any of them up on their side. If they
make the fight, 1t will be necessary for
them to get out candidate OF their
own.
Another Interesting Story
There is another interestinfi story going
the rounds as to the cause Of the agita-
ton against the bulletins just at this
time. According to this report Forrest
Adair. who Is at the head of the Shrn-
ers in Atlanta, and who was the moving