The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-26
REGISTER AND VOTE
FOR CLEAN RICHMOND
Themselves, Declares Rev. j. t.
Mastiu In Sermon.
is CENTRE OF LAwLEssNEss
Arguments in Favor of Segregated
District Exploded by the Facts,
Vice Commission Nc mber Tells Men
at Trinity.

Il am not going to male political
speech" said Rev J 7. Mastin, at
Trinity Methodist Church, yesterday
afternoon. for / am no politician"
But, he continued. all good citizens
should prepare themselves to vote for
clean lives. clean homes. clean city,
tate and country,
Mr.. Mastin spoke to a large con-
gregation of men, on the subJect
which has been upperrIost In tno
minds Of the people of Richmond Tor
some time---commercializ vice.
He took as his text the thirteenth
chapter OF Pauls Epistle to the Eo-
mans, and laid particular stress upon
the fourteenth verse: But put ye on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not
provision for the flesh. to fulfil the
lusts thereof"
speaks by the Book.
Being a member of the Vice Com
mission, MIR. Mastin naturally spoke
by the book" He condensed what
he had to say In reference to the part
taken in the Investigations by the
com mission in a few sentences.
He reiterated what has already
j been printed in reference TO the work
OF the commission. He declared that
there had been no private detectives
here doing the work of investigating
conditions, but that the men came
here from the American Hygienic
Association, we'll recommended by
prominent men all over the country
as Investigators"
These men discovered an appall-
| ing state of affairs" said MIR. Mastin.
"All OF us had been aware OF the
segregated district, so caalled, and
we were responsible for 1t. We knew
there was such place, and we knew
that liquor was being sold there
against the law.
Our investigators found that the
board OF the women in the district
about 100000 was spent in drinks
and dope. Outside of the district
there was approximately spent more
than s250.000 for board and whisky
In round numbers 1t may be said that
nearly half million dollars had been
spent annually for the upkeep of the
| business"
Nearly all the women In the dis
trict. said the speaker. were feeble
minded In more or less degree.
Grown women with the minds Of
children from six to ten years Of age"
he said.
These feeble minded derelicts were
used by interruptions men and women
to make money. They were to be
pitied more than otherwise.
IT we do not check this awful
business" said the speaker. the
moral and physical foundation of the
nation Will fall. II something is not
done. the nation will be wrecked"
Mr. Mastin dwelt at some length
upon the health conditions IN the dis
al ~ 20 ha hifttaG He
showed that the sins OF the father
descended in appalling degree upon
the children to the third and fourth
generation. and illustrated this phase
OF the talk by incidents within his
| own knowledge.
There are but four cities in the
! United States where ommercialized
vice is recognized" said Mr.. Mastin.
Richmond made the nth. / hope
the other four may soon be placed in
| the clean column.
| They give three reasons why rec
ognition of this vice is best for the
| people and the country: % Health
| measure. Leading doctors in the
! United States to the number of 35S
| have recently signed a paper denying
this. CD Good government. Protec-
| ton to innocent women and children.
who may be assaulted by vicious men.
/ II they are forced away from evil
! haunts. Tho leading counsel for the
American HYGIENE Association in
New York. investigated the police
/ court records on this subject. ana
| found that 80 per cent OF the as
saults upon innocent women and girls
/ were made by men who frequented
| the red light districts. which proved
| that II there had been no such re-
| sorts the assaults would have dropped
to a minimum. (3) Enforcement of
law. The authorities In every city IN
the United States, over 100000 pop
ulation, except four. declare segrega-
ton is not necessary.
Instead Of the district In Rich
smond being useful, 1t has been the
centre OF all lawlessness. Located in
the centre of the city, its Influences
had spread In every direction outside
the confines OF the district, and our
investigators found there were sew
eral hundred more immoral women
outside the district than inside"
Action Unanimous.
Mr.. Mastin said that when he heard
the evidence presented by the profess
| sional investigators, he made the re-
mark that no matter what the other
members OF the Vice Commission did,
he would sign the report to close up
the district. He said that when II
was prepared and sent to the Mayor,
every member but one signed IT, and
that member was out of the city at
the time.
THE police who testified before the
commission" he said. with one ex-
ception said II the good people OF the
city would stand by them. they would
make the city clean.
IT want to say right here that all
this talk about prying into the char
acter OF private citizens, and looking
up the record of people by the coS,-
mission Is entirely wrong. We have
simply investigated the social evil.
I'VE should stand by the Council
committee now investigating this
condition. and uphold them in their
evident intention TO recommend a
larger police force so that the city
may get better police protection. And
we should hasten to get ourselves
ready to vote on the question, and to
vote for clean people in the city gov
eminent.
Fifty years ago our fathers came
from the war. ready TO re-establish
their homes which had been de-
stroyed. Now we are called upon to
go into the battle for good govern
ment."