Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-09-26
OPPOSE RE-OPENING OF
 VICE DISTRICT.

Miss Grace Strobridge, secretary of the Citizens League for Law En- forcement, and Mrs. Marion c. Tag gert have been kind enough to write letters commenting the editorial i'll Sundays issue of The Graphic on the grand jury's vice committee recom- mendation that court and citizens tolerate the violation of a state law by acquiescing in the re-opening of the recently abolished alleged Ire stricted district" These letters are printed in another column of this page of The Graphic, and it would be well for people to read them and as- certain what two leaders for better ment of the community morals think of the remarkable recommendation.
 The Graphic feels, however, that it should point out that the editorial commended did not discuss the issue created, but simply the unpreceden ted action of an official body recom- mending that the courts and the peo- pie tolerate the violation of a state law, and that newspapers refrain from printing any facts of sensation al nature. It must be presumed the grand jury's vice committee had in mind the possibility of sensational facts developing in future should it's recommendation be accepted.
 The Graphic was not enthusiastical- ly sympathetic with the movement several months ago to have the coun- cil order abolishment of the district because The Graphic realized that mere ruling by the council would not put an end to this form of immoral. ity. But there were those who thought otherwise, and they "put it over." Then, they complacently set back with hands folded, and possibly threw bouquets at themselves in the belief that i've have put an end to adultery by having the council enter an order abolishing the district. There was no genuine effort, so far as The Graphic is informed, to com pei enforcement of state laws and city ordinances. The result is that the improvement has not been as great as was desired.
 Taking their cue from this situa- tion, the vice committee of the grand jury, with boldness that might have been used to better effect, recom- mended that because we have been unable to prevent adultery entirely, we throw up our hands-figurately speaking-and say to the world:
 We've made weak effort to pre- vent adultery. True, we haven't talk en any steps to get at the male ac- complice of the prostitute, but we've had the council abolish her recognized place of business, thus driving her to other places. We've found that this council order was ineffective without support of the citizenship. As our citizens, for reasons best known to themselves, refuse to take an aggres- slve part in enforcement of the laws, we are going to give up. We are going to make Pine Bluff wide-open town. We don't mind the world knowing that Pine Bluff people will tolerate adultery without protest"
 That's what we say to the world when we permit re-opening of the district"
 It is true that morality cannot be legislated into people, but that is no excuse for ceasing efforts to instill the right principles and ideas into the public conscience and mind, nor for laying down on the job" of keeping the community clean.
 The Citizens League for Law En- forcement has obtained, we believe, considerable evidence of wrong doing. If it's members desire to con- \ tribute toward the success of the flight on vice in Pine Bluff let them and other citizens come out in open, throw down the gauntlet to the forces of evil and let's fight it out on the