The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-02

| isn't perfect In every respect, but be-
| iicve that with closer police rcstric-
| tion it will be all right in the end. IT
| is thoroughly desirable. l am not in
a position TO state absolutely, but be-
| liere that there has been a decrease in
the number of cases Of venereal dis
| eases since the closing of the restricted
district"
Mrs. Tylar B. Thompson, Member
State Council Of Defense am un-
qualifiedly against the licensing Of any
| form Of vice, and believe that a city
or a community is wrong when 1t de-
| rives a revenue from a house of pros
| titution. A city which pursues such
| n course is much worse than the In
dividual who procures his livelihood in
| that fashion. believe from my OBJ
servations of now and in the past that
the closing of the redlight district has
resulted beneficially to the community.
True we have had some trouble since
the closing, but no more than prior to.
that time The morals of the commit
nifty has Internationally been raised
and the i'll effects predicted from the
closing Of the restricted district have
not as yet evidenced themselves"
Mayor n. T. Wilkinson-"A careful
study of local conditions will convince
our citizens that. within the past year.
the evil has been greatly reduced and
that It would he unwise to return to
the policy which has been abandoned.
State officials and others say there Is
as little trouble in Missoula as in any
other city In the state. There has
seldom been a period in Missoula
when conditions were so generally
satisfactory from the standpoint OF the
moral welfare of the whole commu-
nifty. So
80 many girls are today wage earn
crs that public opinion has been edu-
Gated to the point where 1t demands
a living wage and proper working and
social conditions that will make for the
development of happy and wholesome
living.
".rhe public Is very strongly with us
and can be depended upon to work for
the welfare of the whole city and
stands strongly for continuance of
the present system of suppression and
! would not stand for a return to the
old conditions
Fred r. Ansevine, County Attorney
Public opinion of Missoula county
and the state of Montana has shown
clearly during the past year that the
| people do not favor restricted districts.
| The closing of the restricted districts
| about the state has done some good.
| but the entire eradication of the evil
| by law is not possible. and therefore
\ has not been accomplished by this
helpful action"
| James r. Green, Sheriff ~-"Thcre is
no question that much good has re-
| suited from the closing down of the
| restricted district. 1t has not en-
| tirely eradicated the evil, hut it has
| served to scatter that vicious element
| thus preventing the formation OF
| strong vice organizations. Aside from
| a few rooming house violations, which
arc natural. no trouble of serious ma
ture has come to pass
| r. S. lusk. 1anker-"The closing of
the restricted districts was move in
the right direction. BasinS my opin-
ion on the morale of the situation and
not on the commercial aspect believe
the closing down OF tho vice district
has been beneficial TO the community"
Or. Charles pixlsy-"There is much
To be said on both sides of the ques-
ton in regard to the closing of the re-
stricted district. / believe, however,
that II is the best for the community
that it is closed" s#
| L. N. Allen. Police Magistrate
There is one good effect have no.
ticed since the closing of the restricted
district. BY the closing of the doors
OF the vice districts. the dangerous
street walker has been shown up.
Police authorities are thus able to get
at the bottom of the vice problem. 1t