Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-05
Why the Church Should Require Health Certificates Before Marg


stricken and immoral districts in the city, l
have had to see much and know much. Now,
leave that district, and l go to the North or
South Side residential district, where live peo-
pie of wealth and, presumably, Of culture and
refinement, people, who because Of their educa-
ton and culture, should set the standard of con-
duct for the communicated what do | see?
| find in their drawing rooms the same licen-
tious immoral fantastically named dances that
I have Just left in the immoral resorts of my
district-dances which have been borrowed
from an immoral source and which are in them
selves immoral. The police check these dances
in the dance halls of the poor. What but So
cial regeneration can check them in the halls of
the rich?
What shall I say TO the working girl at the
Cathedral parish dance when asked to cease
dancing these dances, and she replies: But the
best people in the city dance Them" You, as
members Of society and of the Church must tell
me the answer.
We have taken vice as old the world and
have commercialized it, l say We, l refer to
men Too long we have approached this sub
ject from the womans standpoint 1t Is not
woman problem; it is man problem. 100 long
we have asked the questions: Where does she
come from? Why does she so INTO TINS Ire! what
are the conditions that force her there? What
can we do to rescue her and reform her? 1t is
high time that We ask the question: where does
the man come from? Who are the five million
nine hundred and ninety thousand men who
furnish the $4,000 900 annual profit each year.
Why this demand? Why does the boy 80
wrong? When we answer this last question
there will be but little occasion to ask the
question: Why does the girl go wrong? 80
long as there is a demand there will be some
form of supply Again, it is time to approach
the subject from the demand rather than the
supply side.
Some say: This Is a necessary evil" II So
then It must be necessary to some one. Can
YOU tell me to whom it is necessary? Answer
these five questions
lis it necessary to manhood? Ask any
physician or psychologist. What n reflection
upon your son What reflection upon every
unmarried man in the community. What an
insult to the celibate clergy of the great rellg-
ious communions. Absolutely and unequivocallN
never.
lis it necessary to womanhood? What an
Ignorance of the instinct of the woman. What
a lack of knowledge of the adherence on the
part of womanhood. What an insult to her
honor.
3-Is it necessary to public health? Can any
one ask that question when they know the sta
tistirs which | gave in connection with the
health certificates before marriage; and even
more startling facts which might be given il
the occasion warranted
As it necessary for the prosperity of city
that we should have a wide open town with
segregated districts? The Vice Commission of
Chicago was the first municipal commission to
be established and financed by municipal
treasury Since that commission over twenty
others have been appointed and have reported
The most striking thing in connection with the
work of the vice commissions has been the
unanimity of their decision. Briefly it is this
ANY municipal officer who recognizes CONNER
cialized vice is thereby committing an immoral
act Segregation has never segregated, neither
has it solved even the remotest phase of the
problem; rather 1t has increased and aggrava
ted it; and the only method to be pursued is
constant and persistent repression as the i'm
mediate method; absolute humiliation as the
ideal
SIS it necessary to the sanctity Of the
home? This is the philosopher, Lecky's argu
ment-that the purity Of the wife and daughter