Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-09
Investigate the I.oiicc Department.

DOLCE commissioners who demand an in
vestigaton OF their official conduct, and
incidentally of the conduct of TIE Police De-
partment. take exactly the right stand. ia
der the report made by the Mayors Vice
commission, they stand accused OF suffering
the existence Of disordcrly houses outside the
aggregated district That is an unpleasant
sort Of charge to lay at the door of man
who regards himself and likes to be regarded
b. others as Il good citizen.
The policy OF segregation was reform
policy. deliberately adopted by the city au-
thorities, after conference with carefully
selected committee of representative citizens
and acQuesced in by the public because at
that time it seemed the best solution of a
problem that throughout the ages has plagued
and puzzled the human race. One constit-
uent Of the theory was the relative freedom
from temptation it was supposed To confer
on the police. The thought was that with
these houses and women segregated in a
single district the rest OF the city would be
freed from commercialized vice. Proprietors
OF these places, then, could not be forced il
was beiieVed, to pay for protection because
there was Il section in which they might ply
their trade without interference
According TO the commission this whole
theory has been proved erroneous. Com
meTcihlized vice, the report says has -four
ished Ill other quarters OF Richmond. Ii that
he So Of course the police have known OF it
Few are naive enough to believe that an es-
adjustment of this character could long con-
time i'll one situation without attracting
police attention
Within the segregated district the com
minity acQuiesced in the violation OF law but
this acduieScence was on the faith of the con-
tract made by the city authorities and osCe-
caly by the directing heads of the Police
Department that outside the district the law
would be vigorously enforced
The community accepted what il believed
to he the lesser OF two evils: it finds now that
it has suffered from both. Not only has the
law been violated-that was understood--but
the pledge the Police Department gave. in re-
turn for public confidence and for permission
TO deal with the social evil in lis own way
has been violated as we'll
In any Intelligent reading OF the Vice Com
missions report. The Times Dispatch has
said. responsibility for this condition is put
on the police board. Members of the board
themselves so construe X.
IL is TO be assumed. OF course that the
Vice Commission has evidence to support its
nostion--indced, the report hints as much
That evidence, If il is sufficiently weighty TO
uphold the recommendations oslreadv made
indicates tpo serious attack on the ;d-
minstration OF the Law by those sworn to
enforce II, and 700 gross n violation Of public
confidence by those In whom that confidence
was rcposcd. to be kept secret IL as q mat,
ter or TACT, any member OF the police board
has used his official position for the prot &C
ton OF disorderly houses, and the Vice Com
mission knows or has sound reason to believe
that this has been done, its duty is too clear
% admit OF discussion
For the commission to protect nv its silence
man guilty o! an oifense so Infamous. while
1t looses the dogs OF its wrath OH some scores
OF unfortunate women, is 10 make the whole
program OF reform screaming but CHASTITY.
farcn