The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-10
PLAN UNITED ACTION
To STAMP OUT VICE
Law Enforcement OfFictals in Session
In Richmond Discuss Conditions
Around Military Camps.
GOVERNOR DAVIS pREslDEs
Pledges Entire Resources and Agen-
cies of Commonwealth to Task of
Keeping Crime In Check IN Pro-
teCt Soldiers.


The law enforcement conference
called some weeks ago met yester-
day in the hall OF the house of dele
gates, There present al the con-
ference were the heads of the va
rious state departments army and
navy officers. attorneys for the com
monweaith. mayors, magistrates.
sherins chiefs OF police. chatrmen of
health boards and various other Off
GERS representing the different func-
tons of the various local governments
of the counties, cities and towns con-
uguous 10 the war camps in the state
Governor Davis presided ~ the
meeting, and after expressing regrets
that certain officials would I've IN
svoidahly delayed In reaching the
meeting, introduced DR. j. r. Mastin.
ties and corrections
The address of Or Masttn was con-
fined entirely 10 the purposes for
which the @mectirg WAS called, He
discussed with precision of detail the
Va rious elements that enter into the
moral delinquencies that inviron the
camp life of the soldiers in Virginia
He pointed out the responsibilities
that rests upon the officials of the va
rious communities both As related to
the welfare Of the soldier. and as
concerned the best methods to hs
adopted for the proper care and at
tention for the unfortunate women
that infest the camp communities.
DIR. Mastin declared that upon care
full research. the conditions in Viz
ginia were found to pe better than
those of any other state in Inc union
where these camps were nainta ined,
but he insisted that the duty OF the
commonwealth through its various
agancies was to falter at no obstacle
to accomplish the highest possible
good In this great work.
DR. Mastin was followed by various
other spea kers from the various sec
tons. including several from tho army
and navy, all OF whom discussed the
sociological conditions that enter into
camp life as affected by the vices that
prevail Physicians discussed the
very serious effects of these thirgs
upon the health of the soldier.
The closing address of the morning
session was delivered hy Governor
Davis, who outlined the purposes of
the conference from practical
standpoint, laying special emphasis
upon the moral conditions that en-
viron soldier life in the camps of the
state. The governor discussed the
question with great feeling. declaring
that the matter was one that lay
close to his heart, and brought his
hearers 10 great applause when he
said:
II stand here and pledge you, as
governor of Virginia, the entire re-
sources and agencies of the common
wealth for the suppression of crime
and vice"
On motion OF Charles r. Kelley,
executive secretary of the state coun-
Gil OF defense. there was appointed
by the governor committee OF
twelve to present to the meeting at
it's afternoon session such resolutions
as comported with the purposes OF
the conference.
The afternoon session began at
$50, at which there was no set pro-
gram other than the plan previously
announced for the occasion-general
discussion. There were many volun-
tary addresses. all of which were con-
fined to the objects of the general
call.
The committee on resolutions APP
pointed at the morning sessions re-
ported the following resolutions.
which were adopted.
..That this conference for law en-
forcement. assembled by the gov
ernor Of Virginia, calls upon all good
citizens to uphold the properly con-
stituted authorities of the state OF
Virginia in their efforts to enforce
the laws OF the commonwealth. par
ticularly those which either directly
or indirectly may have bearing upon
the protection OF the national fighting
forces or In any other manner may
help toward winning the war.
That II II the sense OF this con-
ference that It 10 neither wise nor
lpatriottc ~ this time to interpose