The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-15
WILL BE FREED OF ALL
 IMMORAL PLACES
Attorney General to Start Campaign in Order to Protect Men in the
 Training Camp

Mont tgomery, July 14.-(Speciall Official announcement was made Dy William L. Martin, attorney general, Saturday afternoon that the Mont govery county grand jury will be called upon next week to bring in dictments against all operators and inmates of immoral houses in Mont gomery and that his department will prosecute the cases in connection with the solicitors department. Every oper- ator and inmate has been warned to leave Montgomery at once
 The campaign results from the Of. ficfal announcement of the war de- partment that it cannot tolerate the operation of an immoral house near. the military camps and that the fail ure of the city properly to enforce the laws will mean that the site will. be changed to another town where the laws are enforced,
 For several days rumors have been that the attorney generals next ef- forts would be. directed against the immoral houses of Montgomery. It Is matter of common knowledge in this city that such houses are being oper- ated in the business section and that the second and third floors of many business houses now are maintained for immoral women, The war depart ment has informed me that it can not countenance the operation of these houses and my office is determined to, do sll in its power to remove any ob- iOh int n the operation of the military camp and the proper training of the soldiers" said the attorney general.
 LETTER TO BAKER
 That Attorney General Martin has had the campaign in contemplation IS indicated by letter addressed July 7 to Newton D. Baker Secretary of War, which read as follows:
 II have. noted in the press during the past few weeks statements au- thorized by the war department re- garding the eradication of vice evils in the vicinity of camps for the train- ing of the national army. In spite of such statements there has been much discussion of this action and the sug gestion has been made that while the federal authorities will not counte
  or men, they do not look with such great disfavor upon the conduct of a restricted district for public women. Personally, l do not doubt that the federal authorities are serious in sthe1r insistence that both of these evils must be eradicated so as to secure full protection to men in uniform, but there is much insistence that a well regulated district will be tolerated by the government.
 Montgomery has been designated as one of the locations for a camp site. The grand jury of this county meets on Monday, July Is. and it is my pur- pose to assume it's direction and insist that the local authorities carry out the published demands of the govern ment. I shall doubtless be met at the outset with objections based on argu- ments which I have suggested regard ing the vice resorts and I desire to ne able to say authoritatively that 1 am | advised by the Secretary of War that 1 such resorts will not be tolerated | With your assistance I feel sure that | shall have no difficulty in bringing | about a healthy moral condition in l this vicinity and I will appreciate suggestion from you that such a con- l dition is demanded"
 SECRETARY'S REPLY
 Secretary of War Baker referred the | letter to Raymond B Fosdick, chair | man of the commission on training camp activities, who made the follow | ing reply:
 'The Secretary of War has referred | to me your letter to him of July 2 | and has asked me to say that the war | department cannot tolerate in the viz | cinity of a training camp a restricted | district for public women. Indeed if | such districts are not effectively abol- | ished and the prostitutes removed, the 1 secretary is determined to change the | location of the camps.
 The secretary has asked me too, l to express his warm appreciation of l the support which you are prepared | to give the department in this matter l We are confident that Montgomery will be able to meet the wishes of | the military authorities on so import | nj a