Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27
FEDERAL AGENTS
RAID TWO HOTELS
New Blow in Government
Campaign to Protect
Service Men
60 PRISONERS TAKEN
90 PRISONERS 7
Moral Guardianship of Cities
Held Necessary for Prose.
Cution of War

The Government struck another blow
at vice in this city early today. the fore
runner of campaign to protect not
only uniformed men. hut shipyard work
ers. munition workers and men subject
to draft.
Federal agents swooped down on two
hotels. rounding up about twenty women
and about forty men. They will he ar
raigned today in the Federal Building,
Lieutenant Colonel Charles i. Hatch,
| law-enforcing officer for the Government
! IN this city. ordered the raid Agents of
the Department of Justice executed It.
Assistant Superintendent of Police
| Mills. de faCto head of the police. con-
ferred with the Federal authorities yes
terday, few hours before the raids
The more spectacular of the two
, raids was made at a hotel in Tenth
| street south of Chestnut. Most of the
| prisoners taken early this morning We're
caught there. Some We're captured in
nearby restaurant to which they ran.
| Not only We're men and women in rooms
nabhed. but walters and hartenders also
were arrested.
From the Tenth street hotel the raid
| ing party swept up to a hotel at Fra nk
lin and Vine streets A few waters
. there. former employees of the Tenth
street house We're taken into custody.
Draft Evadcrs Also Taken
Night crowds drawn by the raids were
comhed for draft evaders. A number of
! young men without registration cards
We're compelled to accompany the Gov
I Crnment men.
The new policy of the Government to-
ward vice was explained today by Lieu
tenant Colonel HatChs office.
The Government now intends not only
to guard service men from vicious
women but to throw a protecting arm
around every male effective in the city.
The entire manhood of the city, the
Government contends. is necessary for
the prosecution of the war. II is just
vital to assume paternal care toward
ship and munition workers and service
eligibles. it was explained. a it is to
look after men actually in uniform.
At the lieutenant colonel's office it wa!
explained that the Government has power
TO raid any questionable place within
five miles of a military naval post
Philadelphia is SO studded with armor'
les and arsenals, in addition to the i'm
mense navy yard, that the entire city
virtually Is in the barred zone.
Walters Alleged Confederates
In explaining the arrest of waiter.
in the Tenth street hotel and at the
Franklin and Race streets hotel an in
sight was given into the system EN-
ployed by women of ill-repute and their
male confederates. The walters. til,
Government alleges, were part of the
system A visitor to the cafe attached
to the hotel could single out a woman
in the place indicating her to a waiter
The latter would inform the head-waitel
and the visitor in a few minutes would
be joined by the woman he indicated
The raids early today We're ir
pursuance of the policy of "eterna
vigilance" exercised by Secretary of the
Navy Daniels under whom Lieutenant
Colonel Hatch directly operates. Severa
weeks ago the head of the Navy Depart
ment disclosed the close watch main
, tanned on vice not only here but in Other
cities, and announced his readiness tC
girdle a dry zone about Philadelphia
"in fifteen minutes if necessary"
Colonel Hatch's office admitted todaN
that it has list of local hotels "a yart
long" that are under surveillance now
4 raid may be sprung on any one o
them at any time. The raids early to
day will he followed by raids upon 6
number of other hotels in the next week
| II was asserted