Evening journal., 1918-09-24
WOULD PUT women
ON POLICE FORCE
Needed to Cope With Vice
in City. Women Defense
Committee Says
POLICE BOARD MAY
MAKE APPOINTMENTS

Formal request that at least two pO-
lice women be appointed TO assist In
coping with the vice situation that Is
cropping up about Wilmington. was
made at a conference OF the Women's
Committee Of the State Council Of De-
tense. with Mayor Lawson and other
city officials yesterday afternoon. Mayor
Lawson presided. the meeting being
held in the Mayors ofilce.
Mrs. Charles r. Miller, chairman Of
the Women's Committee, stated the OBJ
feet o. the meeting-the cooperation
Of the Police Commissioners in further
ing more adequate protection Of the
moral welfare OF the city. She ad-
vanced the idea that this could be done
by appointing two women on the pO-
lice force. and, as the force was already
twenty men short. the commissioners
should more readily coincide with the
request Of the committee.
Mrs. Miller stated that the request Of
the committee was Of such vital i'm
portance as TO be more than local. hav-
Ing TO do with the national order Of
prohibition as far as il effects the ma
lions army. She said conditions In the
rear .-ooms Of some saloons were ap-
palliiig, that the morals Of many girls
and the sobriety Of local and visiting
soldiers need attention; that police
women could better handle this parlicu-
lar condition than the men could To
mrther strengthen her contention she
sailed upon Mrs. r. Coleman dupont 10
rive her observation Of policewomen
work among the soldiers In London.
Mrs. dupont told how she had seen al
the Esgle Hut corresponding 10 the
Y. VI. C. A. in England, splendid re-
suits OF the women guardians Of the
welfare OF the khaki-clad representa-
tives how, with gentle authority, the
boys were turned from evil courses
without protest or resistance, whereas
a policeman, when showing authority,
caused resentment.
As a further evidence OF the efficiency
OF women, Miss Esther L. Lape, Of the
Council OF War Organization OF New
York, spoke OF the good work Of the
five policewomen on the New York
force. working with the one woman
member on the Police Commissioners
Board "As long as there are men and
women on earth" declared Miss Lape,
there will be lust those conditions we
are now laborlng 10 combat and 50 far
as they have been tried, the police
women seem 10 get the best results
General l. Pusey Wickersham, presi-
dent OF the Police Commissioners, re-
piled in behalf OF the local authorities.
He admitted that some distressing con-
ditIons prevail I'm this city and told OF
the inadequacy Of the diminished police
force 10 cope with the condition He
expressed himself In favor Of employ
ing women on the force. but not being
sure Of a technically in the law govern
Ing the power OF the commissioners, he
asked time % look into the matter.
Mrs. Miller proposed that while the
matter Of the legally Of employing wo-
men on the police force was being in
vestlgated, the Commissioners deputize
,wo women 20 be named b. the WO-
mems Committee, so as 10 lose no time
IN combating an evil that was spreading
and calculated 10 equal that which was
philadelphia's lot a short time ago.
In response to this plea a commit
zee OF three was suggested and the COM
nittee was appointed at once by Mayor
Lawson, including William b. Megear.
chairman; William +. Metten and
Charles Topkis
Just what the Women's Committee
stood for, had accomplished and plan
ned, was set forth in a ten-minutes'
talk by the committees secretary. Miss
Eckman, which was surprising to her
hearers.