El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-20
GIVE OPINIONS
ON 'REDLIGHT'
Prominent Men Reply to
Queries as to Conditions
Since Closing It.

Opinions of city and county Of
D ficials, professional and business men
r Of Ell Paso relative to the question OF
segregation Of vice differ materials
according to interviews received from
r them by a Herald reporter. When
seen these men were asked two ques-
= tons: first, an regard to the segre-
gated district do you believe condi-
lions are better than they were2"
second. If FL Paso does not obtain
: a soldiers training camp would you
favor reestablishing the red light dis
trict?"
J Following are the answers of
prominent mem
Says Conditions Worse.
i J. W. Fisher, park commissioner
former alderman-says: I believe
that conditions are worse now than
open. The social evil has been q
problem for hundreds of years and
no one has yet been able to define
method to solve il. I am in favor Of
segregation and regulation These
! districts, If properly regulated. viii
no doubt result in less crimes and
I outrages against respectable women
/ and less disease. Segregated districts
/ should be conducted just as health
I department is conducted. Then there
/ quent these districts are kept in one
/ locality where they can be examined.
I Now they are scattered throughout
/ the city. I believe in so regulating
| these districts that no intoxicating
| liquors should be sold by the in
mates"
No Indictments Returned.
". D. Howe. district judge:-'I am
not in a position to discuss the ques-
ton Of segregation don't know
I that segregated districts have existed
I have instructed the grand jury 10
I investigate this question several
times but no indictments were re-
turned"
]. P. O'Connor. acting mayor:-'T
am not in favor of the establishment
or reopening OF a restricted district
at this time. I do not believe condi-
tons are worse than they were when
the district was open"
Women Scattered Here. Says.
Iva Finley. deputy sheriff Con-
ditions are now more serious than
when the segregated district was
open. in my opinion There are WOm-
en- from the district scattered through
out the city as result OF closing
the district Many Of these women
are in apartment houses. The ques-
ton Of segregation has been one that
has puzzled city officials in every
city Of the United States for years and
years"
OuACL says
B ]. Zabriskie. chief of police
From my observation and personal
investiga ton, conditions now are FAR
better than when the segregated dis
trict was open. Since il has been
closed fully 40 percent Of the women
who were inmates have left the city.
Others are leaving. These women are
not moving into respectable neigh
torhoods in the city. They realize
that complaints VIII be filed against
them and that they viii be arrested I
They are leaving the city and even
though FL PasO does not get a sol Z
diers' camp I believe 1t is for the
good of the city TO prevent the rees- I
tablishment OF the segregated dis I
trict"
District should he Regulated.
Webb c Haden:-'I am very much .
in favor of seeing the 'redlight' dis
trict reopened. I am not in favor Of .
fostering immortality but do not |
think that the women who were re-
stricted to the district caused as much \
trouble as the ones now walking our
streets, or inhabiting the rooming
houses IN FL Paso. The district /
should be placed under police regula-
ton, as well as military"
Would stop Disease.
G. Jack Henry, secretary OF city /
civil service commission think /
that so percent of the disease now be-
ing spread around the city would be I
stopped If a -redlight district under 1
strict medical control could be OPP
Grated. All of the larger cities in the |
east have tried to control vice by !
abolishing their districts and have
had their hands full Of trouble"
R. K Fisher:="The city has IN 4
doubtedly assumed a cleaner ana moro II
condition since the segre- II
gated district has been closed II
would be only the worst Of folly for II
the district to be reopened even If
FL Paso did not receive an army
environment"
Officers Say Having More Trouble.
The police officers collectively were
in favor Of the ''redlight" district be-
ing reopened when asked about the
matter Tuesday afternoon and eve
ming. Most all Of the patrolmen when
asked if they had noticed any change
In the number Of women on the street.
said they were having so percent
more trouble on their beats than be-
fore the Zine" closed Many Of them
said they would be glad to see what
was known as the old district kept
closed, but that a place like the new
one on South Stanton street. run IN
der military and police control. would
not place temptation under every
mans eyes Altogether they were for
the Tine" II il was regulated.
Oppose Restricted Districts.
George H Clements. secretary
chamber of commerce--Se Segregation
Is not necessary and am opposed 10
restricted districts. I do not know
whether conditions are better or
worse since the district has been
closed, but I do know that con-
1itions can be made better by
strict enforcement OF the law which
would prevent these women from
There is no segregated
district in New York city and since
L was closed conditions there are
better"
Believes In Furnishing Men.
Billy" Smith. former city detective
u believe segregation is the only
manner in which to handle the social
evil question. These segregated dis I
-ricts should be well regulated, the
inmates given proper medical atten-
ion and sufficient police protection =
One way to properly regulate the dis
Lricts is to imprisOn every man who
lives off the earnings of one Of these
unfortunate women. They are FOR p
he most part more to be pited than r
condemned. The way to handle these
lnfortunates is not to drive them IN o
the ocean, but to treat them like hu- /
nan beings. They have souls" c
salvation Army Helps. L.
J. NJ Cunningham-"The problem
1f segregation or the social evil IS
1ne that has never been solved. But =
notice the Salvation Army was the 5
= - 49, n-HHwn