The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-11
MAYOR ArNsIIE INDICATES THE
NIRGINIAN


graph which. because it makes direct attack
en- the position Of The ir0nian as regards the
vice question and the segregated district, We
feel constrained 70 present, along With the actual
record 0: this paper In the fight OF The Troinidn
against the segregated district and all forms Of
eozamercialized vice in Richmond The Mayor
stated:
The policy Of liberation and regulated
permission had always heretofore obtained
in Richmond as il had in practically every
otheT American city, and the whole com
InuTtty, mayors. police boards, citizens ana
all acquiesced in ii. 1t il a matter OF rec
ord that the question discussed just
three years ago by committee from the
Police Board and special committee of the
ministerial Union, and that TO change in
the policy was insisted upon recommend
I'd by the ministerial committee. Not a sin
gle newspaper in the city protested against
it prior TO the appointment OF the commits
sion. although SO much OF 1t as was III the
red light district had been there for nine
years. and all Of them, but one, approved
the appointment OF the commission. which
latter paper always heretofore completely
silent the subject. then and for the first
time called for the closing Of the district
and the enforcement Of the Law against it.
In the closing sentence of this paragraph the
Mayor states that following the appointment of
his Vice Commission a certain newspaper then
and for the drst time called for the closing Of
the district and the enforcement Of the law
against IT." AS The rrgtniQn is the only news
paper in Richmond which has ever in any way
called for the closing Of the district and The
enforcement Of the law. prior to the reC~t re-
port Of the Vice Commission, we conclude that
he Mayor referred to The Firgintan in the pre-.
ceding portion of his statement also 1t is true
That The TirginiGn, al The time Of the appoint
nent of the commission, called for the closing
ef the district but not for the first time. Neither
lad The Ftpiuidn Heretofore been Completely
silent on the subject" We propose to show
from our files that the Mayor was not informed
as TO the facts when he stated that not sin
gle newspaper in the city protested against 1t
prior to the appointment Of tho commission"
We propose TO show. also that the Mayor was
not properly informed when he stated that this
paper did not approve the appointment of the
Commission for Ihe Vjrointan did approve The
appointment OF the Commission And we pro,
pose, finally, to show shat Mayor Ainso's own
actions during the past year have indicated
The Tr1inian's position I'm every detail.
First The TirOtnian. prior TO the appointment
of the Vice Commission protested against the
presence OF the red light district In Richmond
and called for the enforcement of the law
against it. The Mayor states we were com.
pletely silent" on the subject prior to the ap
pointment OF the Vice Commission What does
the record show? Our files show that on March
Is. 1914, We carried a news story announcing the
appointment OF the Mayors Vice Commission
printed on March 10. We shall speak of this
editorial later The Mayors statement. there.
fore. means that prior TO March IS The Tr-
ataian aeds Completely silent on the subject OF
the abolition OF the segregated district and the
enforcement OF the law against It. Let us see
what the files OF The Tirotntan show
On February 10, in an editorial entitled "The
Red-Light Question" we said:
The treatment of such evils as red light
districts has to be thorough and drastic and
the knowledge Of conditions Is necessary TO
convince supporters Of the necessary evil"
theory that such fostering sore in the com
munity could not by any possibility be nee
essary. The Increment fotedrd the
abolition o. these districts IN Virginia cities
hos areadV started and to{H be continued.
If the Congress Of the United States and the
President Of the United States believe that
such condition can be corrected let Vfr-
9infd, op all means, 5ota this Increment for
moral unfit"
Again, February 20, said in an editorial
entitled Prevention and Rescue"
II is d horrible thing 10 SIT at ones own
nreside, surrounded with all the helpful and
delightful Influences of a Christian home
and TO realize that In the same ctr there
are scores of women who have gone out
from their fathers homes to be herded to-
2ether like beasts to live lives Of shame
which lead inevitably TO eternal ruin. And
when TO this horrible fact IS added the adc..
iional fact that The cities Of Virginiq mt
only contain such places. but that then are
actually set apart bD the police. ara dfotced
TO eT3st mnmoIesfed, and that to these places
are attracted other young women to be in
solved in the same inevitable ruin surein
such facts are enough 10 require plain speech
and 10 demand from the Legislature that n
make efecttre the preset loic against social
ertE.
hat aihess construction could I've tilacif OH
these two statements than thai The ViF0in.aa