Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-05-07
NO BAWDY HOUSE
 IN LITTLE ROCK
Mayor Charles K. Taylor So Declares in Address on
 Vice Suppression.

That public assignation places and bawdy houses have been driven out and kept out of Little Rock as the result of the policy of suppression or abolition of "red light" district in the capital, was a statement made by Mayor Charles E. Taylor of Little Rock during the course of an address on Little Rock-Before and After" at the "Vice Suppression" section of the state conference on charities anc corrections here.
 "I have never heard hut one argu ment against closing the segregated district that is sven worthy of con- sideration," said MT. Taylor, "The matter of loss in revenue to the city and to the owners of buildings for rent, is immateria} No self-respect- ing person wants that kind of reve- nue.
 "But it has been argued that clos ing a restricted district will scatter the social evil over the entire com munity. How fallacious this argu- ment proves itself to be is shown by conditions as they exist in Little Rock
 'You will hear it said in Little Rock that places for assignation still exist there, and that women of loose moral character may be found on our streets. Perhaps this is true to a limited extent. However, the differ erce is plainly defined between the policy of suppression as it is enforc- ed now in Little Rock and the policy 0f 4O1n e011 .y, that city, and as now practiced in every city in the country that per mits open houses of prostitution.
 "Under suppression, public assig- nation places and bawdy houses have been driven out and kept out. Un- der toleration both designation houses and bawdy houses are welcomed and legally protected, provided the per- sons conducting them comply with certain police regu' 'ations, and pay into the city treasuries certain amounts at stated times. The re- cords of our vigilant police force show that there are some street walkers and other immoral women in Little Rock since the new policy wasI adopted But the honest critic will admit that such was also the case under the policy of toferation. the diff ference being that there were larger numbers then than now Then these women were sure of police protec- tion; now they are sure of arrest by the police. Then the presence of these women in large numbers was not noticed; now one is seldom seen.
 And you will not find the notor- ious public houses that existed in Lit tie Rock before the segregated dis trict was closed. I could name some of them, for they were well known 70 the citizens both by nar'e and by rep utaticn. These houses have been closed and their inmates scanered.
 "So unprofitabIe is the business of conducting any place for assignation il. Little Rock now that they soon close their doors. The location of such houses is unknown to the gen. eral public, which is a handicap to their business, and the moment it be- comes known to the police the pro- prietor and inmates are haled into court and fined. The occupation is no longer profitable as a business venture, and so these houses become fewer and fewer.
 "All this has been accomplished through the active cooperation of the Little Rock police force. But, you will say, what if the adminlstra- tion sits down supinely and takes no account of the assignation houses and yiolators of the morality ordinances? Nv answer to that is to get another administration and another police force. You do not want officers who set themselves up as judges ,n ssw without question"