Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-28
MAYOR HYDE TELLS HOW
HE CLEANED CHARLESTON
Provided Home for $50 Women of
Underworld Scattered
About City.
HAD COOPERATION or POLICE
Gamblers Oustcd and Prohibition
Law Enforced in Order to Retain
Military Camps in City's Vicinity.
Many Women Reform.

when the moral forces and the bust
ness forces join hands. they can easily
clean up any city: that's all there lis
to it,. said Mayor r. 7. Hyde, who,
with the cooperation OF the city. re-
Gently has made signal success of
solving the vice problem in the city OF
Charleston. :. &. Mr.. Hyde confined
his talk. which he delivered last night
at the University Club TO an invited
audience, to law enforcement as Il
principle and in practice. and to the
proper methods of dealing with the
social evil which is confronting every
city in the world in the vicinity OF
war training camp.
Ar. Hyde. in curing tho disease in
his city. refused. he explained. to drive
me women FROM the city. lie took
this position on the principle that drlv-
ing helpless. crooked women from one
town to another is no ;,ntidote TO the
poison and is in nowiSe constructive In
principle. He told his audience that
having had the policemen to locate as
many as ffty-scvcn houses in Charles
ton. III which the women OF the nm
dcrworld had taken up their abodns
after the Law and Order Lcague-com-
posed OF the best people of the CITY
had driven them from the red-!iEht
"iS'rlct TO scatter among apartment
houses and respectable boarding places
ne went 10 them and compelled them to
return TO tho segregated district tenn
porarily.
REFUSED on PRINCIPLE
TO EMILE CROOKED WOMEN
Mayor Hyde then called a conference
of about eighty Of the most prominent
men OF the civ 10 discuss an emer
Eency homo for these women. whom he
refused on principle TO exile from
Charleston. Hc found that on the
ground OF expectancy the business elc
mcnt was ready to aid in curbing the
"vil which the moral forces were treat
ihG on mo:al principles: for the GOV
eminent hid promised an ul,imatum
saying that unless the vice conditions
were rcmcdied the camps could moi
stay. The city provided an appropri-
a'ion Tor the cquipoinC: IF an old dor
mitoiv; and into this place 100 women
OF INC city were in the past few months
narnorcn. Law enforcement had re-
onced the chlin raNG' to minin,-n
ana the wages of guards. said Mavor
ftNde. met the eX lcnses Of the omer
"ehcE home: Mayor Hyde having been
elected on law-enfo cement platform
anc having lived n - the promises
no had made the people.
OF the 100 women nlarcd in tho ho,,,o
Mr. Hyd" said that ninetv-ciCht had
been scnt hack to their homes where
'heN had been made welcome and had
expressed the dAa;rc to remain b,y
nc h"cn redeemed from a sordid nro
DpHn
S'ti"nS. and placed IL dec mt boarding..
h"uses they having promised to rui,
m" underworld and it's ways
NOW bit EIGHT OK
TEN INMATES or HOWE
At present there are hut eight or
ten inmates OF tho home. where a nor.
manent matron has control on tho
INSIDE and police guard OH the out
In connection with tao home there has
heen rot the slightest faint OF scandal.
said the speaker.
Mr. Hyde remarked that rccorn;tio,
o! the Jaw was tho basis of civilization.
and that. though II MS not an o.,
poncnt OF prohibition. though person
ally teetGtI Ter since prohibition went
INTO effect tho tax rate had been low
cred contrary TO business predictions
rs FOR the gambling element. he stated
That they ware warned to leave and
that they nut their feet in their hands
and ohce"d wisely. Speaking If tho
women in tho case. he n. serted il,,t %
per cent Of them We're either feeble
minded or absolutely ignorant and
most OF them We're glad to bc hclped
out OF the life III, Y were leading
II Is essential. said tho speaker. 10
nay" q chief Il palice who will do
what h" is told. nmd then will come
back and tell the truth.