Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-11
For Sunday Reading
AH Sorfs Of Ohinions
Puttina Out the Red Lights.

Within the borders of Chicago
.levee" district. which had long made
the city notorious turnout the world.
after a three-years campaign against
the social evil, writes George j. Ancer-
son in The Continent, there were over
500 darened resorts where the. red
lights burned no more" And begin
ming with the Chicago disclosures, the
fight has gone relentlessly on until the
United States Is the cleanest great ma
ton in the world" This country. be-
lieves Mr. Anderson. can well point
with pride to national house-clean-
ing in the past three years" for COM
mercialized vice has received crush
ing blow What 1t has meant in CHI
cago is thus graphically narrated:
In April, 1919. an old college friend.
q lawyer, suggested that II might not
be Improbable for me, both as cit
izent and journalist. to see at close
range some things In Chicago life that
were probably novelties to one just out
Of the more Puritanic atmosphere OF
Boston. Their novelty was enough TO
make tho heart sick. Our expedition
began with visit to 'Freiberg.s. that
notorious dance hall whose reputation
has been well-nigh International Then
Ii was in full operation, with singers,
drink serving walters. and its stan OF
professional prostitutes. The picture
Of that brazen vice has not yet faded
from my mind. From there we went
to an establishment where the brazen-
ness and the viciousness were only in
creased by the evil surroundings OF a
disorderiy saloon. Afterward, we
walked around the more popuious
squares OF the so-called segregated
district
.On every hand the brilliantly lighted
dens, with the Jangle OF their ragtime
songs and revelry, and the hoarse
laug liter of patrons and prostitutes.
lined the squaiid streets. Outside the
resorts. hangers-on bid for custom.
Thru the blocks and the constantly
opened doors, groups of men, mostly
youths, passed and repassed as at some
conventional county fair. Policemen
strolled. casual and care-free, thru the
throng. Beside the curbs rolls pro-
cession Of autos and taxicabs. re-
turned from the 1eyee' wondering that
the better Chicasof tolerated 1t for a
moment. wonder.g still more how such
foe could be driven from its en-
trenchments.
ana ySt--DIlIy Tires SucIt sCniS al
terward, with the same friend and over
the same route. we have been met with
an astounding change. Fretbergs. the
hall of reveIry. WAS barred and in
blacknesx; not a light or woman In
sight The disorderly saloon was In
| like desolation. with only one dim
CLEAN in room Of the deserted hotel
above. Around the blocks we went, met
| everywhere by bars and bolts. by
| boarded windows and the signs Of real
estate agents. Standing on gala cor
ner OF the old days. we faced absolute
blackness. save for the street lights
aiore, and were passed only by one
young coiored girl during our entire
stay.
| THE lore policeman with whom we
| talked hoped the church folk were sat-
| isfied.' A cabman at the corner, In Of
fering TO guide US to resorts vaguely
/ remote. declared the place was dead.
| They're all watchin' it all the time!
| Chicago had awakened: that's all
To Chicago commercialized vice
has become not the necessary evil, bu'