The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-14
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS.

With considerable agility, but little regard for
consistency, our Richmond contemporaries,
three in number. have suddenly changed their
tune in regard to the enforcement OF laws
The average citizen the reason for the difference
seems TO be rather parallel to the shift in the
tune of these same organs after a certain mem
orahe date IN September last We forbear from
oeing more specific
The adroit Ncies Leadcr. which last Thanks
giving firmly assured correspondent, I'VE are
frank TO tell him do not know how cfpcdteHt
IL would be to make the rule Of Thanksgiving
The rule of all the year is now engaging in
saily shoutinss al the Mayor for iuycstiga'
ion into conditions which the good Nc'es Lcadgr
aas strenuously assured for good many
tears did not and could not. exist in Richmond.
We have held otherwise and the vice commits
sion has proven our view correct
The Neios Leader holds that segregation ii all
light, but that did not have segregation As
me OF the chief supporters Of the segregation
,rinciple, why did not the Meas Leader see that
We had segregation? II the system was not
complete Why was IL not complete? Are to
relieve that the NeRs Leader really did not
;now or did not think there we're no scattered
iouses' in Richmond? Does the Netcs Leader
these iaetsrs So us oreg rctsrr
tips hape been taken, are sttti in eristcnce'
Jas it been hiding its head in an ostrichike
ccurity. merely because II believed certain con
iitions should exist? II so. the Meas Leader
vas the most Ignorant institution in Richmond,
But this position of our contemporary carries
Nth 1t direct defense of legalized vice. Of the
,rotection OF vice by law. 1t means that the
Rw should surrender to vice because il is un-
bile to combat II. 1t means notification Of all
aw. And matter OF fact the whole trend
II the NeWs Leaders, argument since the May
r'c order. has been a strong defense Of the
sgrngation policy and an attack the authori-
les not because they did not enforce the laws
sEainst vice hut because they did not enforce
What was not law but was substituted for law
y agreement or allowance of the city authorl
les.
The aged Yimcs-Dispotch is also RULED in
Ririt, il It's editorial utterances are to be taken
s+a fair standard. and undertakes quite val
spt crusade that The public is aroused and
idterested One would really think the Times,
1sspatch had advocated the enforcement Of the
an before Bur now it even gets so specific in
is allusions 10 state that "a section Of this
ourmunity is on a basis of SNUG satisfaction
With the relatively little that has so far been
accomplished
The Ttaesbt8patah. would Judge. con.
elves Itself to be the only source of information
hat can be relied upon to point the way to bet.
er condition We would like 10 know how
npch the Richmond Times Dispgtch ever did
Qward accomplishing or aiding 10 accomplish
ta .relatlpalY tittle t44ae So hren At.
ranDlsheJ"2 When mas the 4ipesDsgatcb
iYes tuFiea iis 6Hetr to sec that the laws of
7rfin!a against the social evil were enforced.
she1her in out Of the aggregated district,
Styer until after the Mayor OF Richmond, act
liz on the report Of his advisory commission
lad ordered the legalzed protection OF vice re-
nryed, and the scattered houses OF vice closed
: the TimesDispdtcA had not been so busy
eeing 10 IL that the policy Of segregation was
nntinued, 1t would perhaps have had time to
DmpIish the result fo- which IL was adonted
,ameiy. the control of vice under police reeula
icns
On whom does the real responsibility rests
~ the officials who have not restrained it from
preadng? Yes. in Il measure But has any
ale OF the three Richmond papers. all Of which
~ now so Mortified ri conditions they have de-
aAred did nor exist in Richmond. no responsi.
nifty for the evil? Had any ono OF them ever
n4Isted that the law should be enforced. there
geni4 have been saved many ruined lives. MANY
4lghted homes many bitter tears The power
4@the press that is rot exerted in opposition
osfviI Is exercised In support Of vice. Just as
Negative public officer must accept resDonsf.
U A5ty for conditions prevalent under his tenure
G3p4ce, 20 must negative newspapers that have
III nded the segregation policy bear share
Nspcnstbility for the evils OF the aggregated
IA esep greater responsibility for scattered
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