The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-27
FOR RICHMOND's coon.


The wide agitation the deem interest, and gen.
eral interest in the question Of awcnfor~ement
In Richmond is bringing forward most sharply
the war on the social evil. one Of whose inn
portant battles Was the report Of the Vice Com
mission. stuce this report there has been eX.
ts.hised good deal q hysteyia and in1petnous
demand FOR Investigations ard radical move
sssesss- Newspapers sAa&-4Hre long been peace
fulIy sleeping with little regard for the moral
weif-Seipg OF the city have suddenly reused
themselves, or been reused, aud are now cla1nor-
ing for an investigation and for the placing OF
responsibility for conditions that may have been
worse than the people st large knew, but which
have been well known in general TO have exist
ed What we need in Richmond is not an In
-estigaton. not hysteria but aroused public
sentiment that will demand and insist on
rigid. stern. and persistent enforcement of the
law that will neither wink at nor condono VIC
lations.
Moral conditions in Richmond are not worse
than IN several ether cities, but they have been
and are now much worse than should be the
case IN Richmond. The legal recognition OF the
segregated district. maintained by official sane
ton in direct opposition to legal provisions, has
practically involved the presence of vice out.
side of this unlawful, but protected and official
lied district.
II the Mayor Of Richmond with complete
private detective force and the whole police de-
partment at his disposal, has not known the con-
ditions revealed in the Vice Commissions re-
port existed, il is not 10 his credit the wise.
careful and prudent head OF the government Of
the city of Richmond. II the Board OF Police
Commissioners has not known that the moral
laws Of the state and city were violated both
within and without the segregated district, IT
does not speak well for the ability Of the board
nor for its familiarity with the work OF the de-
pariment under it's direction. If the chief of
police and HIS men did not know these dens OF
vice were scattered through the residential sec
tons of the city it does not speak well for the
observation and ability of these guardians of
the public peace
We are persuaded that Mayor, commissioners,
chief and force knew. certainly ought TO have
known that moral conditions in Richmond were
not what they should have been. II was their
duty to know these things, TO see that the laws
against vice were enforced and that violations
of the law were broken up and the offenders
punished The report OF the Vice Commission
has lifted the veil for the officials and has shown
that unless the Information on which 1t il based
IL woefully unreliable there has been much more
of the social evil outside than within that out.
lawed. but legally protected and officiaized
plague spot
Richmonds great need. the need OF the past
~ well Of the present, IS that officias-Mayor,
commissioners. chief, patrolmen, detectives, all
@-shail. with vigilance, earnestness. steadfast-
ness OF purpose. make valuable the information
secured by the Commission and rid Richmond
OF both the segregated and scattered houses Of
vice