Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-24
Congress May Close
Local "Red Light
District With Law
Tennessee Senator
Would Apply Dis
trict of Columbia
Measure to Terri
tory
sv G. 8. AlRERT.

II -
Especial star BulletlD Clrrespondencel
WASHINGTON. june 12..-A wave
of upIift and reform is headed In the
direction Of Hawaii. II is not an In
termittent and wavering wave. It Is a
strong, healthy. noisy tempest blast.
The eYil-doer in the territory and
he who winketh at the seanny side Of
life. must sit up and lake notice.
It is proposed to abolish all red
light districts in Hawaii. The Ken,
yon act, as applied to the District Of
ICoiumbia. in which Is located the capi
Ltal city. has been taken as model II
what should prove uplifting and bene-
ficial to Hawaii The law has been
tried cut here It abolished the RED
| light district effectually, according
to the moraIists. The courts have
mot passed upon its constitutionality,
but les application to Hawaii will not
wait for any such formality II certain
members OF Congress can have their
way. Many lawyers have held that
the sealing up Of property for year
Violated the constitution. but others
contend to the contrary. The first
ease OF sealing q house is now being
rigged up here.
Just what induced the turning OF
this big moral gun ii the direction of
Hawaii IS not known No mention
was made OF including Alaska and
Porto Rico III the same classification
/ OF uplifting.
81 In starting TO reform the mid-pacific
territory. the existing law applicable
/ to the District of Columbia was taken
verbatim and offered at 4 bill 70 ac-
|eopplls6 ~ lesiraa ~
Senator / lke E94 of Iaflnessee who
took leading part IN tie seliniInatioh
Of William Lorimer from the senate.
presented the bill to- wipe out s.red
light districts In Hawaii
The bill follows:
An act TO enioin and ab3fe houses of
lewdness. assignation, and prostitu-
tion; TO declare the same to be nlli.
sances; to enjoin the person or per-
sons who conduct or maintain the
same and the owner or agent Of any
building used for such purpose, and
to assess q tax against the person
maintaining said raifsanee and
against the building and owner
thereof.
That whoever shall erect, establish,
continue. maintain. use, own. occupy,
or release any building. erection. or
place used for the purpose Of lewd-
ness. assignation. or prostitution In
the territory Of Hawaii is guilty Of a
nuisance, and the building erection.
Eor place. or the ground itself in or
upon which such lewdness, assigna-
ton, or prostitution Is conducted, per-
mitted or carried on, continued, or ex-
lists, and the furniture, fixtures, musi-
cal instruments, and contents are also
declared q nuisance, and shall be en-
Joined and abated as hereinafter pro-
yided.
Sec. 2. That whenever nuisance Is
kept. maintained. or exists as defined
in this act the attorney OF the United
States for the territory Of Hawaii. or
the attorneYgenera1 Of the United
States, or any citizen Of the territory
of Hawaii may maintain an action In
equity In the name pf the United
States OF America. upon the relation
Of such attorney Of the United States
for the territory OF Hawaii the attpr-
ney-general Of the United States OF cit.
izen. to perpetually en5oin said nui-
sance. the person or persons conduct
I ing or maintaining the same. and the
owner or agent Of the building or
ground upon which said nuisance ex-
lists. IN such action the court, or a
Judge In vacation, shall, upon the pre-
sentation Of q petition therefor alIeg-
ing that the nuisance complained Of
exists. allow temporary writ of In
juAction. without bond, If il shall be
made to appear to the satisfaction Of
the court or Judge By evidence in the
form Of afffdavits. depositions oral
Testimony !, or otherwise, as the COM
plainant may elect unless the court
or Judge by previous order shall have
directed the form and manner III
which It shall be presented Three
days notice, In writing. snail be given
the defendant Of the hearing Of the ap-
|pIication, and II then Continued At his
instance the writ as prayed shall be
granted as matter Of course. When
an Injunction has been granted it
shall Be binding on the defendant
Throughout the territory Of Hawaii.
and any violation Of the provisions Of
Injunction herein provided shall be q
contempt as hereinafter provided
Sec 3. That the action when
brought shall be triable az the first
term Of court after due and timely
service of the notice has been
given and d such action eY.
Eidence of the the tf1etal re6u.
tation q the place shah Be admissible