The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-22
NO INVESTIGATION
NEtOEO'' ---MELT0N
MEMBER OF VICE COMMISSION SAYS
RESPONSIBILITY Is ALREADY
FIXED.
GREAT ACHIEVEMENT
FATHER HANNIGAN PRAISES WORK
DONE IN AWAKENING PUBLIC
CONSCIENCE-NEG MASS
MEETING HAD

AS to what the Mayors Vice Com.
mission may or may not bring to
light in the near future. a. "A member
Of that body. haven't a word to say.
No member OF the commission has
the right to say anything. by inter-
view or otherwise. that commits the
commission. Any interview by an in
dividual member Of tho commission
thai affects the policy Of the com
mission is, to say the least, not in
good taste. and has no binding pow
err declared Dr. b. II. Melton, a
member of the Vice Commission. at
the mass meeting OF coiored citizens
held yesterday afternoon III the Third
Street Meth ,o,ist Church.
The investigation and report OF
the Vice Commission is the greatest
single achievement. either in politics
or morals, I have ever known in the
fourteen years I have lived In Rich
moEd. II is Il piece of work of the
tirs. magnitude. declared Father
Charles Hannigan. who presided and
presented Dr.. John w. Dixon and Or.
Melton. mem hers of rhe Vice Commits
sion.
Enemies of Morality.
The meeting was csiled together by
Rev. Samuel !. Morris, pastor of the
iu4To-Stlc"L tHGTCn. ana the leauSIS
of nearly every coIored congregation
and teachers iron, the coiored school.
were present. About fifteen OF them
spoke briefly for the moral uplift of
the colored people.
Before entering upon his discussion
OF the Vice Commissions report DR..
Melton said that when he made a
plea tor tho destruction Of the enc
mics OF the moral progress OF the
colored race no lie at the same time
making plea for tho moral welfare
OF the white people as the outstand.
ing enemies of moral progress of
both race are the same. He cited
social immortality, liquor and dope as
enemies that must be fought, together.
Someone Has Fallen DowH.
He reviewed the report emphasizing
certain of the findings and asserted
that those whose sworn duty it is
to enforce the law have badly fallen
down on the Job. The responsibility
necessary TO establish that fact The
degree OF responsibility. or whether
one officer is more responsible than
another Is OF small value now.."f
The public knows" he declared. In
conclusion. that for every one Of the
500 fallen women there are at least
three fallen men, Eighteen hundred
men prostitutes In Richmond. Are
they segregated? No. they are going
about like roaring lions seeking whom
they may devour.' seersEate this crowd
and the problem Of vtce 10 easy Of So
luton
These iepers have free access to
many OF the best homes in Richmond.
They are. in many instances, socfetyss
pets BY what law OF God or men
are we justified in Furnishing tina fall
len woman and allowing the fallen
man to go free when he is rhe most
guilty partner in the crimer Can you
answer ~.
An Awakened Conscience,
Before presenting DIR. Dixon, Father
Hannigan said that the report Of the
Vice Commission. handed to the Mayor
had wrought transformation OF the
attitude OF citizens Of the community
toward the evil Of the traffic and that
IL had stirred the public conscience
a. no other event in recent years.
The menace OF the Institution 20
the morals OF the community, he said
has been realised and an awakened
conscience means its gradual elfmi-
nation. In order to arrive ut this re-
suit the public has TO be educated.
As the coiored people also are inter-
ested in the affair. they need ;eniisht-
eminent a. well as others Of the COM
munity."
In concluding. Father Hannigan in
sisted tho moral standard should be
the same for men as for women.
DR.. Dixon made q strong plea for
the education of the children in the
home and declared the colored people
should have better housing with more
room, more light and more fresh air
AZ higher standard OF physical clean
lness makes better environment for
the raising of the morals. He de-
nounced the white men who TO into
the houses OF colored people for i'm
moral purposes.