Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-11-25

NJ Washington. Nov, 60. - The red
Tight" has gone out OF America. The
war has extinsuished 1t, From the
Atlantic coast to the Pacific. from
. Florida to Washington, there are few
American cities today wncre the sos-
reSatlOn district, for so mary years
q familiar feature OF Iluniciyal life.
can be found. Certainly there is no
city or town near u military camp, or
one to which soldiers on leave could
nave easy access, where the red lights
now flash their invitations to vice.
The brothels have been abolished,
and they arc staying abolished. From
} the beginning Of the wa: until Nov. |,
OF this year. rcd light districts have
been eliminaGd from 1!s communities
IN twenty -eignt states. or these dis
tricts. some thirtyiire were closed
following the PRONUNCIATION Of the
barred zone" order by the secretaries
4 of war and the navy. Tho Others hav.
been wiped our by the efforts of repre-
sentatives OF tie law enforcement di-
vision of the war department commits
sion Of the war department commission
on training camp actiyiies, a
Nothing lill> this has ever been
X own before in American municipal
lie. 1t represents vsritable revolu-
ton in thought and action regarding
tie subject If prostitution and the
dangers Of venereal disease. Hereto
fore there have been sporadic eX-
anpies Of city clean uos'.s Here and
there a reform wave mas washed ava.
an red light district grown so noise
~, ,,i. ~, h.,
o, erwheimed officialdoIu, as the East
Side prostitute district IN New YORK
City was wiped out during the famous
reform campaign in which the late
Bishnp Potter took sucl u prominent
part. but this is country wide
,,&an-up. Moreover, the very citizens
anu officials. IN most Instances who
10. me..y had tolerated these districts
OF concentrated vice-who in some
cases had been responsible for ordi-
Ia5ces legally recognizing their exist
ance-have wiped them out Of exist
e.ce The United States government
a. -icd them 20. and they did.
For Military Efficiency.
Great as must be the moral benefit
to follow this cleanup, IL was dictat-
ed primarily by no considerations Of
morality. 1t was a matter of military
chiciehsy. 1t grew out OF the country's
need. and was fostered by the patriot
ism of the country. WHAT the commu-
mites had been unable or unwilling to
to do in ordinary peace times, they
proved to be able ana willing to do
when the United States was at war
ard they heard the stern mandate
Clean up so that our military material
may be fit to fight"
When the men of the first draft were
taken into the army, a dangerously
high percentage of them were found to
be infected with venereak disease. This
II, aant that eTen if the men SO infect
cd were able to work, their work was
low par; and many of them had to
Be sent to the hospitals for treatment.
he loss to TIE government in time,
mar ~rower and money proved to be
tremendous Now venereal disease had
not baen unknown in the army, but
bs education ard preventive treatment
the rate had teen steadily reduced
from year to year. But here was a
ncW situation-a heavy influx Of cases
contracted in the communities, before
The men donned uniforms. So the
s 3 8 avcrament Immediately determined
that the army must be protected
against the communities and sections
s II and IL sof the selective draft act
w7re put into effect. These barred the
sale or furnishing of liquor to soldiers
AID prostitution or the keeping Of