El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-06-07
SAN ANTONIO IN
CLEANUP WORK
Reward for Offenders of
Law; More Police Added;
Troops Must Not Go.

san Antonio, Texas June City
officials Of san Antonio, in ordering a
general cleanup of this city have
taken occasion to inform the war de-
partment in no uncertain terms of
their action. Following is the tele-
gram dispatched to secretary of war
Newton D. Baker:
Be it resolved by the city commits
sioners Of the city of San Antonio,
Texas:
81 That the police department be
| directed to close every house of Ill
fame within the limits of the city of
San Antonio and to arrest all inmates
and prosecute them vigorously to the
limits Of the law.
40. That the police department be
instructed to strictly enforce the law
/ against gambling and to arrest all Of
tenders and prosecute them vigor-
ously.
%. That the police department be
instructed to arrest all parties SELL
ing intoxicating liquors to soldiers.
- That the police department be
instructed to vigorously enforce the
state laws governing vagrancy and
all other offenses, so as to rid the city
at the earliest possible moment of all
undesirable citizens, both male and
female.
-. That the police commissioner of
this city be authorized and instruct
ed to appoint additional policemen
and detectives as in his judgment may
be best in order to carry out the above
resolutions. such increase in police
men and detectives not to exceed so
unless further ordered by this COM
Reward for offenders.
20. That the city commissioners
agree TO pay for information leading
to the arrest and conviction of any
person selling liquor to soldiers in
uniform the sum Of one hundred dol
paid upon conviction of the guilty
party or parties.
-. That the state. county and gov
ernmental authorities be requested to
assist in the enforcement Of the laws
as above outlined.
we assure you that the resolution
will be strictly enforced and we shall
be glad 20 cooperate with the war de-
partment in every way possible, and
shall be glad to have any suggestion
and help which can be given"
The message was signed by Sam c.
Bell, mayor; George A L,owther, COM
missioner of police and fire; Ray
Lambert, commissioner OF sanitation.
parks and public property; James F.
Garland commissioner of taxation !:
streets and public improvements
May Not Approve, But Act.
Discussing the cleanup order, the
mayor said to the newspaper report
ers:
1T is action the war department ad-
visers are looking for and it is action
they are going to get I wish to add
that, owing to the crisis in the busi-
ness affairs Of San Antonio, as pre-
scented by the threat of removal of all
military activities from this commu-
nifty, we are required TO take steps
that. under other circumstances,
might be taken differently. But wise
men do not quarrel with facts, and
we are going 20 save for san Antonio.
asset in the shape Of the military
activities conferred at Fort sam Hous-
ton. When that is endangered, II be-
hooves US 10 set aside even the les
sons experience has taught and do
the things demanded and In the way
demanded.
Results May BE Intangible.
Since the hour when it became
known the war department was dis
pleased with conditions here there has
been no variance OF view as TO what
should be done among men with whom
I have conferred. Some OF US may
have doubted the tangibility of re-
suits. but we never doubted the advis-
ability Of producing these results.
Il simply desire to say to the world
in general and to the war department
in particular that all the agencies at
our command have been set to work
to see to it that San Antonio is made
uninhabitable by the public women,
the public gambler and the illegal
vendor of liquors. All Of them must
60"