The Washington times., 1914-02-09


and best governed OF ar,v large city,
it is one of the most conspicuous
and widely advertised.
Ever since the close OF the civil
war. when General Hookcr's division
camped south. of Pennsylvania ave
nUe, this section OF the city has
borne an unenviable reputation.
When the army was disbanded the
camp followers, the f1otsam and jet
sam thai always follow in the wake
of an army, remained. The present
derizens are the successors OF this
group. -
Thus for more than sixty years, a,
plague spot has been perpetuated in
the center of the Capital of our Ma
ton. The electric car lines pass
through several OF its streets. All
visitors to Mt Vernon, unless they
90 by water, must traverse its en-
tire length, and many who visit Ar
iingtod. our VaIhaila, must pass
through this graveyard Of souls.
Became Stumbling Block.
Wherever you go and the question
OF the government of Washington is
spoken OF, the fact Of the existence
of a segregated district is mentioned.
In all international congresses to
consider social progress, when gov
ernment regulation of the social evil
Is discussed, the American delegates
always find that the segregated dis
triet. of Washington is a stumbling
block in their path, when they at
tempt to show the wholesome atti-
tude upon this subject in the United
States. They are met with the state
men that the European system is
far better than that which exists in
Washington, where regulation Is
fact without any of the accompany
ing safeguards that the European
cities throw around regulation.
The people of the United States
have been very restive under these
conditions for a long time. In spite
of the fact that their representatives
are sometimes niggardly in dealing
with the District, they feel a ma
tional pride in the standard Of
morals of the Capital City and many
Of them will allow, in their own
not tolerate in Washington. The
constant TOW of visitors from every
section OF the country, the fact that
all educational institutions encour-
age their students to visit the Capi-
tal-because 1t Is a city set upon a
hill, they feel that "noblesse oblige'
requires from them a high ethical
policy for the government OF Wash
ington-
Story of City's Shame.
When the International Purity
Federation visited Washington on its
nationwide tour. the delegates made
a study of local conditions and when
Les arrrffF,
story Of the city's shame. In no Un-
certain tones they advertised the re-
sponsibility of the nation for these
conditions, and, as the result, thous-
ands heard the story of their per-
sonal responsibility for Washington's
segregated district from the lips Of
experts in the public meetings,
which were subsequently held by the
federation in every large city of the
country.
What practical steps could be
taken 70 change the conditions" has
been asked by thousands OF earnest
- people all over this land. But no
answer. came until many States had
faced and solved similar conditions.
Iowa was the first State to effec-
lively solve the problem and TO form
ulate a measure that would meet the
situation. not only in Iowa but else
where. Hitherto every State in the
Union had experimental by the most
drastic criminal laws to suppress
immortality, with practically no re-
suits. But, where criminal laws with
drastic penalties had been ignored
and defied, the efficiency of the in
jurction and abatement act has been
universally acknowledged.
John B. Hammond Appears.
Much of the previous legislation
was passed to satisfy the non-con-
forrnist conscience. with no intention
of its being Of real benefit in mini
mizing the social evil. When public
sentiment demanded that something
be done, the astute lawmakers
would patch Up some scheme that
would be sufficient 10 satisfy this
demand, and the laity would never
be clever enough to discover its in
territorial weakness. That the de-
sires of the people have been frus-
trated many times and upon many
other subjects than this is well
known.
One of the characteristics OF re-
formers is that their efforts are in
termittent. They make one mighty
jab, often with a wooden sword, and
are so exhausted after this unusual
effort that .hey lie down on their
job for the remainder of their natural
life. But John B. Hammond. father
Of the injunction and abatement act,
was not OF this Tx. He saw that a
law, easy of enforcement and effec-
tive, was passed and duly enforced
il his own State, and, when 1t had
proven its value there. interested
himself in extending its action in
other parts of the country.
senator KenVOn ia from Iowa He
believes that the District of Column
hia should have the benefit OF the
experience Of other States, in form
ulating its system of government
and when his own State had seen the
value Of the injunction and abate-
ment act in dealing with a most per
picking problem. he felt that wash
inEton should have the benefit of a
similar law. A bill. covering the
main points of the Iowa law, was
prepared and passed by the Senate
without a dissenting voice.
But. when it reached the District
Committee in the House OF Repre-
sentatives it had a long sleep-indeed
If was prophes ed il was dead. But
a bright newspaper man, who had
watched the bill with interest, gath
cred the facts and talked them over
with q level-headed woman who had
a civic conscience.
As a result, a magazine article was
prepared and published. giving the
facts in regard 10 the history OF the
bill. and some data in regard to the
situation in Washington. II may be
that, like THE Jungle" many Of the
facts in this article were exaggeT-
ated, but It served the purpose Of
turning the attention Of the House
of representatives to its RESPONSE
bility in regard 10 the matter.
Women Rack Movement.