Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-13
Pastors Oppose
Debarking Here

Continued from PAGE One
II is within the power of the Navy De-
partment to create dry" zone here.
Secretary Daniels has declared that the
"only perfect zone would be from the
North Pole to the South Pole" But
governmental order clamping dry
ring about this city Is regarded as ex-
tremely remote.
The Mayors virtual defiance of Sec
retary Daniels may prevent the .andIng
of returning soldiers at this port. 1t
is known that Secretary OF War Baker
Is in accord with the navy head on the
vice question.
While the Mayor was busy framing
his reply to Secretary Daniels the
vice squad. headed by Captain Mills
was active late Saturday night Clean
ng up" various sections of the city
through a series of raids Speakeasies.
gambling houses and persons selling
liquor without license were included
in the roundup.
To assist the detectives, policemen
were called in from the street and put
in plain clothes.
Among the places raided was cigar
store in East Chelten avenue run by
Joseph Cepelli, where the police say
eight men were found shooting craps"
The alleged gamblers were arrested by
squad of men under Lieutenant
Elpidge, of the Germantown district.
Samuel Harvey said to be the man
ager of the Belmont Democratic Club, a
regularly chartered club or Belmont ave-
nue.. was arrested by Lieutenant Ellis
and a squad of men from the Forty
second District, charged with selling
liquor without license. In an alleged
"speakeasy" at Moss street and Girard
avenue, fifteen negroes were arrested
and a quantity Of beer and whisky con-
fiscated.
Approves Wilson's Methods
The Mayor. in his reply to Mr.. Daniel
last night, expressed approval of Di-
rector Wilson's methods Of eradicat-
ing vice" He said they were in direct
contrast with the methods employed by
the Secretarys special agents. which
have been denounced by a Judge of the
Federal courts.
The city)s executive referred to a de.
nunciation] by United States Judge
Thompson of the methods used by Lieu
tenant Colonel Charles B. Hatch's agents
in gathering evidence In a case against
three women. Colonel Hatch Is the
Navy Departments law-enforcng officer
in this city.
Colonel Hatch today would not COM
n1ent on the Mayors letter. Washington
will move next he said.
Tho Mayor did little "gumshoeing"
himself last night and walked along
Market street from City Hall to the
Reading Terminal, thence to Chestnut
street and west TO Broad He observed
how the police kept corner iders on the
move. On several occasions the Mayor
him sale ipfnrp1ad Ini
that they had better take car for home
The Mayors letter to Secretary Daniels
follows
You state YOU wrote me last spring
concerning alleged vice conditions in
Philadelphia. You will recall that at
the same time you forwarded me a list
of houses which you stated you had
been reliably informed were engaged
in the business of prostitution, At
that time, believing you to be sim
cere and based upon the information
you had furnished, the civil authori-
ties caused the arrest in nearly every
instance of the occupants of these
houses. A hearing was fixed at a
later date In order that you might
arrange 10 have present to testify
those who purported to have knowl-
edge upon the subject. This you de-
complaint was the arrest of a large
number of reputable and innocent
persons and the bringing of damage
suits against the city.
Complaints Unfounded"
Il am satisfied that the complaints
you have recently received concern
ing general conditions in PHILADELPHIA
are without foundation.
''No one is more interested In the
physical and moral welfare of our
soldiers and sailors than I, and
have personal knowledge of the nde-
fatigable efforts of the Department
of Pubic Safety in this behalf, which
have been repeatedly attested by
conscientious United States officials
in this city. l am cognizant of the
methods employed by the Director
of Public Safety in eradicating social
evils. and l heartily approve of them,
They are in marked contrast to those
employed by your special agents,
who have upon more than one oc-
casion called forth bitter denuncia-
tion from the Federal bench.
"You may rest assured the activities
of the civil authorities here with re-
CARDS to the suppression of vice will
continue unabated. Both myself and
the Director of Public Safety have too
| high regard for this city in which
we were born and have lived all of
our lives TO permit the conditions to
which you refer TO exist here or to
allow unfair and unjust imputations
upon its fair name to go unchal-
lenged.
"As 1t has been your custom TO give
communications of this character ad-
dressed to me TO the public press for
publication In advance, I have taken
the same liberty with this. Very
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