The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-07-27
SOCIAL SERVICE
DIRECTOR GIVES
POINTERS ON VICE
FIRST STEP AGAINST ELIMiNA.
TON OF ORGANIZED VICE
SHOULD BEGIN IN HOME.
HEALTH BOARD READY TO ACT
Parents Are the Ones Who Must A.
sumo Responsibility for the Ideals
and Morals Of their Children.

lansing. Mich.-Mlss Catherine Os-
trander. director Of the social service
department for the state board OF
healr. believes that the first step In
the campaign against organised vice
and the elimination OF venersa dis
eases. should begin In the homo.
Miss Ostrander. for several years
was connected with Hull House In
Chicago and had two years experience
a. police woman In Dayton.
There are few very evident facts
chat all women hesitate 10 acknow.
ledge. We all know them directly or
indirectly. however. and we are be-
coming yearly more ready 10 admit
them and assume our just share CT
the responsibility In meeting them
and overcoming their long line OF
hideous consequence said Miss Ost
rAnder.
THE greatest OF these age old
monsters is prostitution. II crept into
our social life 30 long ago that no one
knows when or how. We do know
that today II exists In every country
and among all sorts and conditions OF
men and must be reckoned with. IL
furnishes the world with more filthy
and hideous diseases than all other
sources combined. II gives US most
OF our blind and deformed children.
our feeble-minded men and women
and our drunkards. II furnishes the
market whore innocent girls and boys
are bought and sold to satisfy tho
iusts OF mankind. IL makes necessary
more asylums and institutions than
all other causes combined.
with prostitution goes every form
OF mental, physical and moral degen,
eracy, all OF which are taking tax
money out OF the pockets of honest
citizens TO support and maintain. The
prostitutes, OF which there are many
moro men than women. are children
Grown up. They have all had mothers
and fathers. They were all as limo
cent as the children you see every day
on the streets OF your town. They are
the unfortunate ones who came under
the social conditions which we as
citizens allow TO exist all about us and
they were too ignorant and too weak
TO make the fight.
Someone asked me where the fight
against prostitution should begin. The
answer Is, in your own home. Prepare
your own girl and boy TO make the
fight. In spite OF your devotion and
watohfulness, they will be subjected
90 the same conditions and tempta
lions as every other girl and boy. The
only protection any child has against
the temptations OF life is from within
himself. You parents are the ones
who must assume the responsibility
for the ideals and for the morale OF
your children.
Our Debt to Society.
I'VE, as individuals, are perhaps
more alive 10 our responsibility to-
wards society Just now than at any
time for many years because OF con
ditions surrounding the encampments
The boys in those encampments are our
sons and husbands and brothers. The
women who prey upon them and the
men who corrupt them are hurting
our own. II is no longer an imper
sonal condition existing somewhere, II
fs here. II touches us directly. Oui
sons are their victims and our daugh
ters the wives OF those victims. Theil
blind or feeble-minded children will b'
our children and our grandchildren.
These are not pretty truths. There
are no soft words TO describe these
things. They are tho truth, however
and they describe conditions yer,
close 10 our homes. What will you d.
about It?
"The state Board OF Health has un
dertaken to treat all cases OF venerea
diseases and so protect the helpless
disease npprehended at the canton
( ments or at any other place In thu
atate. both men and women.
"The Social Service Department .
tho state Board OF Health has beef
Instituted to organize the rehabilita
Ition work which 10 necessary befor
Iany considerable number OF patient
lean be returned 70 society with dc
sire for a normal life. Many most eft
,oient organizations and individual
throughout the state have already Of
fered their cooperation In furtherin
this work. Plans have been perfecte
60 have each patient given a mentn
examination during hospital confns
ment TO help determine their nnal dii
poeition. Those who are pronounce
predetermined will be placed in inst
buttons for permanent detention.
lroblem Belongs TO All Glasses.
"The problem belongs TO all classe
and therefore all classes must work L
vether 10 solve II. Assume your III
share of this responsibility now. Pm
tect your own children. Not by keel
ing them tied to your apron string
but by giving them the knowledge an
moral strength to fight their own ba
ties. They will have their hardes
struggles when you are not there
protect them.
.Tha Social Service Department {