Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-19
POLICE COOPERATE
IN VICE CRUSADE
Abandon Attitude of Dis
crediting Charges Of Navy
Department
MANY CAUGHT IN RAID

The police have abandoned their policy
of poohpoohing the vice Of which Secretary
of the Navy Daniels complained, declaring
1t was a serious menace to the morals Of
sailors and marines. The police have recog-
nized the existence OF vice and have Joined
with the naval authorities for genuine
crusade against disreputable women and
disreputable men, who prey upon sailors
and marines as well as upon others and
against all persons who lend any aid to
such men and women.
The wholesale arrests last night Of men
and women on charges Of keeping disorderly
houses, preferred at the instance of Daniels
was but one move against the denzens of
the tenderloin and others Of their ilk
The police, cooperating with the navy
authorities, will keep after vicious men and
women and make their lives so miserable
that they will leave town, they say Persons
who rent rooms or houses for improper pur-
poses will be prosecuted If they refuse to
get rid of their undesirable tenants.
Superintendent of Police Robinson and
Police Captain Nicholas J. Kenny, who has
the Tenderloin district, conferred for half
an hour with Rear Admiral Benjamin Tap
pan, corninandant of the navy yard, at the
yard today. They had full understanding
and cooperative methods were agreed
upon.
MARINES TO PATROL
Beginning tonight forty marines will help
in policing the Tenderloin Point Breeze
Park and other places designated by the
police, where there has been trouble with
vice. These men will be in squads Of four
men EACH under command of chief petty
officers. They will arrest any sailors or
marines they see conducting themselves
improperly.
1t was agreed that sailors and marines
arrested will not be turned over to the
naval authorities, as formerly was done
but will be taken before magistrates tried
convicted and punished as civilians. Then
they will be sent to the navy yard to be
court-martialed and convicted and punished
again.
Sailors and marines will be ordered to
keep on their uniforms when on shore
leave. Marines will be placed on guard at
lockers" in the neighborhood Of the navy
yard to see that they are not patronized.
The police as soon as they convict any
person of conducting a disorderly house
will notify the property owner under the
Swift law, and II he does not get rid OF
disreputable tenants he will be prosecuted.
Robert D. Dripps, who aided the Navy
Department in its work against vice, today
said he was satisfied the police attitude
had changed and the police would do all
Charles Lee, head Of the vice squad, said !:
There is very little organized vice. Our
big problem is the cheap lodging houses,
and IL is very difficult to get conclusive,
convicting evidence against them: but we
will keep on arresting the people that are
causing the trouble and will give them no
rest. We will make life so miserable for
them that they will get out of town. The
people who have been renting houses and
rooms to them will find themselves without
tenants and without any money coming in
and will have to move"
TwENTY-sEvEN UNDER BAIL
Twenty.seven more men and women, ar.
rested by the vice squad on warrants sworn
out by an agent for Secretary of the Navy
Daniels, charging them with keeping disor-
derly houses, were held in $500 bail for
further hearing on July 27, by Magistrate
Watson in Central Police Court today.
The magistrate allowed all to sign their
own bonds
Mrs. May Shaw. Of PSI North Twelfth
street, one of those arrested, made indig-
nant protest. She said she had no lawyer
10 represent her, but she could speak for
herself and say she had the reputation of a
decent woman, who for years had made an
| honest living by conducting boarding
| house. She was released on her own recog-
nizance,
Mrs. Wells, said Gray, had previously
Superior Court, She had been conducting
herself circumspectly at least since her
| former arrest, he said, and what incentive
| was there for people to live proper lives
| II they were to be "picked up by the police
| without just cause?
Magistrate Watson said he agreed with
| all Gray said.
CLOSE WATCH ON TENDERLoIN
While the police in connection with Sec
retary Danies's ultimatum that the city
| must be cleaned Of vice, were swooping
! down in grim fashion on alleged violators
| OF the law, marines on patrol duty in the
| central section OF the city initiated their
| campaign OF guarding enlisted men from the
navy yard from vice and houses and com,
panions Of III repute.
The placing OF marines on guard duty
| In the tenderloin was inaugurated last
night, and was one OF the first active steps
taken 70 safeguard the morals, health and
welfare OF Uncle Sans enlisted men.
The sight Of the marine patrols caused a
stir IN the Tenderloin. Naval oficers said
they had been detailed 70 protect tn men on
shore leave and that they viii follow ths
same methods as adopted in several other
| cities with naval bases. notably Newport
keWe Va.