The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-18
To Conduct Thorough
Investigation and
Suggest Remedy.
NAMES FIFTEEN
ON MIXED BOARD
Representative Ministers and So
cial Workers Form City's First
Official Body Charged With
Duty of Graphing With
Evil-Mayor's Let
ter to Members.

Mayor AinslIo last night appointed =
committee OF fifteen representative
ministers and members of the lalty
TO conduct a thorough investigation or
Hice conditions in this city. and to
make such recommendations with re-
gard to tho local problem as will af-
ford met gain IN relief"
Tho commission thus created is the
FIRST OF Its kind In the hstory Of Rich
nond. and marks tho city's first official
participation IN tho Worldwide move
ment which is concerned with finding
better solution of the cvil than has
so far beer offered by tho various
forms OF control now In vogue In
adopting this plan Mayor Ainslic fol-
lows the precedent of New York CITY
the rcport OF whose Committee of
Fifteen" holds an authoritative place
IN the literature on the subject
The men and women ecIected for this
cNActinp work were last night notified
by the Mayor Of their appointment To
each ono the Mayor mailed /, statement
outlining the object sought TO lac at
tained by the commission. The state
'ncnt Is conservative in tone and ap-
proaches the problem with q suiI reco.,-
milton Of the difficulties involved
Mayors Letter to Commission.
Following is the letter addressed by
the Mayor TO each Of the fifteen ap-
pointccs:
With thanks FOR your permission, so
70 no. hereby appoint YOU n member
of a colninission To Investigate thor
oughly The problem Of commercial!zed
vice in this city. with tho view Of as
certalning by careful cXaminaion the
conditions a they actually exist and.
with the knowledge thus obtained ana
in the light OF experience OF other cities
OF making such rccoininendat tions In re-
gard thereto as are deemed most likely
10 produce the least uudcsirab bio results,
ana give us a net gain IN relief.
This many sided problem has vcXcd
ana bafied eoNcrnmenis for. thousands
Of years, and rational people Will no,
expect you 10 discover "a SPECIFIC rem
cdy, but YOU viii render this great ser
ice with my earnest personal desire
aud confident hops that a careful. de-
iibcrate. sane and exhaustive invcsti-
cation and subsequent dcliberation may
result in the betterment OF our coudi-
iions. even though you may not he able
Though have had the appointment
of such a cominission In mind for some
10 do with the question were pending
IN the LEGISLATURE Just adjourned.
When they failed TO pass. T determined
10 name such a commission, composed
of men and women who would com
lnand the respect and confidence OF the
public at large. and deserve their CO.
operation and support. | make no suS-
ges,ion as TO officers. but will thank
you TO select your own"
Select Men md Women.
Members OF the commission appoint
ed by the Mayor are:
Dr.. J., I, Mnstim secretary. State
Board OF Charities aud Corrections.
G.. l.. Wilcox, vice president Central
Trade and Labor Council
Rev LLOYD = Wilson, pastor Grace
Rev. ii y Caiisch, rabbi Beth
Ahabah Synagogue.
Methodist Institute for Christian Wprlt.
Mrs. William a Burrows. csident
Federation Of Mothers Club.
w. It. Reed, president Chamber OF
Rev. r. r. McFaden. pastor First
Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Sam Cohen, president Ladies'
Hebrew Benevolent Association
Eppa Iiunton. Jr., attorney at Law.
., Rev. John J. tiravatt pastor Holy
J. w. Nokely, president NcGill
Catholic Union
Miss Sarah Roller. female probation
officer, Juvenile Court.
DR.. NJ. y. Hoge, Jr, medical doctor,
Beard @s,i Of q Health Il nai;o, n,,.,.
Church.
Same system Siuce 1905.
Tho segregated district as now con
stitutcd was created by the police au-
West Broad street and residential
streets in other parts OF the city OF
conditions which the police found diff
cult to control The movement was re
gardcd by the hest thought Of the day
as Il step in tho direction OF reform,
and according TO police records, has
worked u marked Improvement in con
dttions when compared with the status
of the evil prior thereto.
Founded during the regime OF Mayor
Carlton Mccarthy. the system Of sesrc-
cation received the attention of the
succeeding executives Mayor Richard
son and Mayor Ainsle--and was con
;inued as the best method of dealing
with the evil
Since taking Office more than {, year
ago Mayor Ainsie has given earnest
thought TO the problem and has
famiiiarized himself with the most add
Vanccd Investigations conducted in this
country and abroad. Ills decision to
seek further light OH the problem
through the agency Of Il commission
to investigate the local situation is i'm
line with the best practice Of other
American municipalities.