The Washington times., 1914-02-07
By KATE WAL LER BARRETT.

market for. them when harvested?
Boys should learn that there is no
market for the crop; that business
men do not want for clerks. in re-
sponsible positions. men who have
expensive vices to crafty. nor those
in their employ whose vital forces
are weakened so that they are in
capable of doing the best work.
Such questions as these present
themselves because of the publicity
which has been given to the social
evil through the passage of the
Kenyon bill.
It was inevitable that an interest
that was so widespread and national
in its aspect should at last reach
Washington. There is hardly Sem
ator or Congressman who has not
had an intimation from his constitu
ents that he should do his duty by
our Nations Capital In this regard,
IL not by direct appeal, by increased
interest in such matters in his home
district.
What Others Have Done.
During the past few months more
than a score of States have passed
drastic laws dealing with the social
evil.
Iowa, Nebraska. Oregon, New Mex
leo, New York, South Dakota, Min
nesota, Michigan. Missouri and Penn
sylvania have either passed laws or
have legislation pending, while the
red light districts" have been closed
in Syracuse, n. Y; Lansing, Mich;
waycross, Ga; FL Paso, Deroit,
Little Rock, Ark; Duluth, Derver,
and Wheeling, w. Va, and n.any
others. In the next few months the
segregated district of St. Louis
and New Orleans will also cl2se.
The vice. commissions of Columbia,
Mo-: Columbia, Ohio, and Philadel-
phia are now preparing reports
From the foregoing list Of import
ant cities now IN the throeS Of an
aroused public conscience, Il is
not strange that Washington should
have felt the good effects IF this
nationwide awakening. That the
was not done away with because
of desire on the part Of Washing
ton citizens is well-knOwn.
That the police authorities OF
Washington and public sentiment
generally demand the enforcement
of the measure wileI it shall become
a law. is, in view OF this fact, COM
mendable.
What Good Will Come Of It?
But we can hear the question, "Cui
Lonum-wfat good will come of this?
Does it decrease the social evil?'
In considering this question we
must keep clear in our minds the
difference between vice and crime
Crime is a violation of law: vice is
an inordinate or illegal indulgence
in natural appetites. In other words
vice is personal and crime is COM
n-unal.
There is 10 hope that vice can ever
be eliminated through legislation.
There is but one hope for its cure,
and that lies with the individual.
But good laws may help by visual
izing an ideal. On the other hand,
crime can be eliminated by the prop
er enforcement of law. While il may
be true that there are not any very
clear signs of the decay of the Illicit
association of the sexes, there can
hardly be a doubt that civilization is
opposed to the continuation of public
houses of ill-fame. There is A ma
tion-wide and spontaneous passing Of
these public houses. Major Sylvester
showed this to be true Of Washing
ton in his report made al Polls
1heater Sunday, when he announced
tEat when he became police chief
sixteen years ago there We're almost
800 houses here and at the present
time there are less than seventy
I'VE.