The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-10
MAYOR PROMPTLY

Continued From First Page.1
ly prosecuted, and that those persons
likely tos be affected thereby shall
govern themselves accordingly.
Respectfully,
tsigned) GEORGE AINsLIE,
Mayor
Affects All Places Alike.
The order closing the houses In the
segregated district effects about 200
women The segregated vice district
has been In existence and under police
regula ton since 1905. Outside OF the
segregated district the vice commits
sion found that there were 500 other
women engaged in commercsalized
vice. The order of the Mayor TO Chief
of Police Werner was plain. 1T not
only called upon aim to abolish the
segregated district. but also called
upon him to make every effort 10
stamp out the existing evil wherever
found.
Discussing his order to the police
Mayor Atnslie said ne knew ~ no law
that gave him the right to commend
the women in the district to lock
their doors and move their place Of
residence.
There : no Law on the statute
books providing for the closing up
OF the district i'm the sense In which
this expression has been commonly
used" the Mayor said. Il have no
more right to tell the proprietor or
one Of these places to move. SO far
az / am Informed. than would have
In the case of some one residing in
another section OF the city. | can say
10 rlen1. however, thar they must
obey The law And in obeying the
law they will no longer have any rea-
son to reside where they are now
So II Isl natural to assume they Will
move wi.hout-Ioss Of time"
Since last Thank SO, Wing Day, when
the distr!ct was temporarily closed,
IL was conceded that the matter of
permanently ciamping the lid upon
vice vas only a matter OF time.
Mayor Lives Up To His Pledge.
In view Of the vice commissions re-
port it v.ts clear that Mayor Ainslie
could do nothing else than carry out
It's recommer dations. In fact. he was
pledged to this course, having re-
peatediy asserted in his campaign
speeches that he would be guided In
this matter solely by the commission.
when the vice commission filed It's
report with the Mayor. giving 1t the
title of report number l. much COM
ment was heard upon all sides as TO
what WQulG pFUhailN IbltbN. IA >"
though the Mayor has order the clos
ing of the segregated district. II is
understood that the vice commission
has by NJ means completed it's labors.
In fact the commission itself asked
that that body be continued as
Hoard Of Public Morals until such
board could be named whose duty II
would be 10 assist in carrying out Of
the laws governing morals The
board would also arrange for the bet
ter protection of young girls who
visit picture shows. and would pro-
vide for the better policing OF the
public paris and ansusements houses.
II Is expec-ed that startling Develop
ments and disclosures may he ex-
nectea from this body before II makes
It's finai report =
Ready with Its Data.
Instead Of being surprised at the
request made by members OF the
board of police commissioners. who
asked for a sweeping Investigation OF
their department. the commission
seems 10 have provided for Just such
"A move elpon their part In tie frst
report ths commission placed the
h1are for existing conditions mostly
upor the boord without dealing in a
personal ~rnrner with any of Its mem
hers in connection with the policies ~
the department in not enforcing the
law This led several individual mem
hers TO ask for al sweeping investtga-
tior-~Sust wha. the commission had
waited tor them to do. II is con-
f5dentlv expected that In reports which
the commission Will make shortly
there will me such revelations as VIII
call for very sweeping probe into
the workings OF the police depart
ment
This information has from time to
In political circles discussed the final
outcome Of the Investigation begun
by the com mission yesterday AT City
Hall Current comment had II that
two investi ge tons might follow the
final report of Tie commission. An
inquiry into the police department by
the police commissioners. and an In
curry into the police commission by
the City Council. are two Of the in
vestigation which IL Is said may come.
chief On The job
Chief of Police Werner stated yes
terday that he expected no trouble
in CARRYING out the order which he
had received from Mayor Ainslie. The
houses in the segregated district have
been ordered to close. 1t Is under
stood tina. he list of houses about the
city outside of the segregated dis
trict, which was prepared by the vice
commission along with the names of
the propriefors of each OF these
places. will be turned over to the
chief of police.
Major Werner said yesterday that
he would not only inforce the law In
regards to the segregated district,
but would at once begin a war on the
houses running In different residential
, sections of the city.
No Meeting Held Yesterday.
The rumar that an important
| meeting of the vice commission WAS
to be held yesterday afternoon. which
was circulated during the morning,
| and that another report more sensa-
tional and to the point was 10 be filed
with Mayor Ainslie shortly after
wards Was rot well-founded The
commission did not hold meeting
yesterday afternoon.
The fact. however. that the COM
mission will shortly file another re-
| port very shortly with the Mayor was
verified last night by TIE v'rEinian
This report will go further into the
details OF she social evil than did the
/ E--f~ ~