New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-26
Print Facts of Underworld
a Plea for Publicity Touching lraftic
in Women and Other Grimes
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the EDITOR OF Inc lrlpuNe.
Sir: In your issue Of June % find two
articles of interest on the editorial page.
They both relate TO the Ruth Cruger case.
congratulate you on giving so much space 70
matter which needs and deserves the care
full consideration Of all who are interested IN
one OF the most important questions OF the
day.
The fact that Ruth Cruger and many other
young women are constantly disappearing IS
cause sufficient for grave apprehension But
when the facts arc revealed and we learn the
details of those dissppearances and how the
victims met their fate the righteous indigna-
ton Of every decent and humane man and
woman is more than justified. l. is not
enough to condemn the police for failure IN
apprehending such fends in human form as
Cocchi. II they have been lax and worse
in their duties, severe penalty should De
melted out to them. ! believe that Arthur
Woods is the last man 10 defend or excuse
delinquent or careless officer. But pun
ishment Of police officers will not free our
city from such inhuman crimes as these
The cause of the trouble is deeper. Il is
because the citizens OF New York City are
careless and Indifferent to the terrible condi-
lions existing in relation to the white slave
traffic and similar outrageous crimes that
such crimes are allowed to exist. Now ana
again when case like Ruth Crugers IS
brought to our attention there is a howl OF
indignation and wrath. The furry is soon
over. and our citizens settle back into their
easy indifference to civic conditions which
are disgrace and a burning shame>
Some years ago we heard quite little OF
the splendid work done by Rose Livingston
The real conditions as revealed by her were
terrible. The underworld living so close to
US was shown TO be not only world Of
cruelty, worthy OF Turk, Car or Kaiser,
but a serious menace to our civic health
like a cancer threatening the life of moral
decency and purity. But what of It? How
little do we hear of these matters, and
how seldom do our daily papers think 1t best
TO stain their columns with such vile records!
This is all wrong. Every daily paper In our
city should print plainly and conspicuously
the narrowing details of the night courts.
Our citizens should feel that these horrors
are durable and the cure is in their hands
Only by publicity can such evils as these
be overcome. successful DuslHeSS man
advertises his goods not once or twice, but
continuously If the readers of our daily
press had the facts plainly put before them
every day it would be but a short time be-
fore the power Of public opinion would COM
pei laws and the execution of laws adequate
for such crimes. Our judges would find Il
necessary TO impose the utmost penalty OF
the law. They would either DO this or other
judges would soon take their places. One of
the chief reasons for crime of all kinds in
our city as we'll as other cities, is the total
~ inadequate punishment inflicted. And this
state of things is true because of the in
difference OF our citizens.
Is it possible to hope that the daily papers
Of New York City will take the matter seri-
ously? Will they recognize the inestmabc
good they might render 20 our city by the
suitable and continuous publication of the
real conditions existing in our underworld
The Tribune stands for high ideals.
am confident it will lend its important in
fuence in this serious matter by doing what
il can TO bring light into very dark place.
j. ". JOHNSON.
Now York June % 1917