Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-31
THE DOUBLE STANDARD OF IMMORTALITY

Legazed vice. and the segregated district are Delng
widely discussed Any attempt to contne social wee TO
limited district meets in every city with energetic and
emphatic objection Those opposing it claim it is but the
legalzing of this species of vice. and making the COM
munity an accessory it. Starting with the premise that
social vice is against the law the obectorS to the segge
gated district say, and with much truth that 1t would be
just proper to have segregated district for thieves
robbers any other criminals Another trouble with the
restricted or red light district plan is that cannot be
located satisfactorily to ALL each district wants some
where else Generally it is placed in some poor quarter
of the city, while as matter OF fact 1t would DO the least
harm if placed in the most bue-bOOded sections. In the
arstocratic residence district children and young folks
are looked after They have their nurses chaperones or
other guardians and would be less exposed to conamna
ton than the children in poorer districts where the play
ground is the street. and where there is none to look
after the little folks.
Naturally then, if there is to be segregated district
in the larger cities it should be placed where will do the
least HARM in the best residence districts.
In San Francisco recently some hundred more
women Of the redght district called together by Rev.
Mr. Smith told him some plain truths, one OF which was
to get at the root of the evil The leader OF these Wo
men, the propretress of of the leading houses OF this
kind told the pastor there several causes for vice
conditions and that instead Of trying to regulate it the
efforts of such he should be turned to cutting it OFT at
its and shutting off the need OF any regulation by
DESTROYING the occupation One OF the principal causes
of girls going wrong she said lack of employment
and wage that would not decenty support them 1t IS
trying to reform girls once down. she sad for they
realize there climbing back into TeSpectaDNy IOf
them. Society has decreed, and they know it. They
know that their past will follow them and matter how
thorough their reformation they will never be forgiven
by the world They must be stopped before they have en-
tered on this career.
Asked how she would stop it, she made brief but
pointed talk that cannot be answered. In substance 1t
was that could be stopped when society quit using
doubesandard of morals for women and the other
for men, There dozens of immoral men visit the red
light districts for every woman in them Otherwise the
industry would not thrive These men not called I'M
moral but the girls are but where is the ditference Of
course there large number Of these girls who get
their start wrong from being too conding, and not un-
derstandng that in some lines at least the statement OF
scriptura writer correct and "all men are liars
offenders by society The girl instead OF being told as
she was on like occasion by the Saviour, Neither do
condemn thee: go and sin more" is made social out
cast and being abandoned by the male sinner, equally
guilty with her. drifts down and out bit of osam and
wreckage on civilizations broad stream This while the
young gentleman who has been guilty Of nothing more
wicked than sowing little wild oats in sending her to
ruin is taken into the homes of his folks friends and
tacty invited to 'go and sin more. 1t is not likely
this condition will change for woman will not permit it.
1t is she who Judges and condemns, and long as she
does and draws her skirts aside from her sore tempted
sister who FELL just long will the social vice find rich
field for recruiting its ranks. Mans inhumanity to man
makes countless millions mourn says the poet but it is
nothing compared to woman's inhumanity to woman.
When women demand the treatment Of the men as
is given the in such when they make an out
cast of him as well his VICTIM then there will be an
end to commerciazed vice. This will happen when the
not Of pOd at the end of the rainbow secured and