El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-02-27
"ROOMTNC HOUSE" ORDNANCE WILL
NO RIGHTS OF PEOPLE,

IRANSGRESS No X
TWO weeks have passed since Gen Robert l. Howe asked
the cooperation Of city and county officials in his right
to keep his men healthy and apparently the assistance
has not been received.
The ordinance presented to the council for consideration
was rejected fatty with lot Of argument about its IN
oonsttuonaty and how it would trampe the nights OF
free citizens.
ered By Gen Howe for the consideration Of the council
that VIII trampe upon the rights of any honest aabid
ing person. The Herald fails 10 see it. So that everybody
may read It and know its provisions, The Herald prints
the proposed ordinance in fun on this page today Read It
As citizen it is your right be posted It is your duty
to inform yourself Read this proposed ordinance and see
if you can find anything Objectionable in It.
Nowhere does it give officers the power Of search so
stressed by those who for unknown reason are op
posed to it The only thing ordinance demands IS that
roong house keepers shall show good moral character ana
permit before they can operate; that they
must keep register containing the right names Of those
occupying the rooms; that this register shah always be
ouen to inspection and that officers Of the state Of
open to inspection and that the officers Of the city Of FL
Paso-not military officers be it understood-shan have
night 70 enter the premises at reasonable hours or Pu
poses Of inspection
Such right gives no officers the right to the bed
room any person IN the hotel roong house-Iead It
yourself What the officers COULD 90 under It's
provisions however is this: peace officers accompanied
BY provost guards should discover done in
M house recently that six men had been registered and
assigned to ONE ROOM during ONE NIGHT-they would
for asking for search warrant for that
They would have right to remain at the hotel OF
til such warrant was secured and then make legitimate
search
Today the officers have right to search any rOom
with search warrant The proposed ordinance does not
gve them any authority IN this line that they do not
have now The proposed ordinance merely makes It legal
for them to rooming hotel and the
register and inspect the premises Can any avabding per
call this anything but fair: At present. the Officers
not that right public rooming house IS under the
law, THE HOME Of the proprietor and no matter what
character Of occupants houses he she protest at
prevent the police entering it without warrant
Meantime, If the officers have 10 warrant to
ter the office Of roomng hotel for inspection Of
the register the proprietor propretres If he she de-
sres get nd Of any evidence the officers might want
before the warrant can be secured.
II rooming house hotel open every Tom, Dick
OF Harry OF TO every Mole Mary Magdalene who wants
10 hire for the night, then why should It not be
open to visit the officers Inspect Its register and
observe its general appearance long the sanctty Of
the abode Of the Is not disturbed without var-
Tant?
OWNERS OF BOOMING HOUSES WHO WISH TO
OBEY THE LAW CAN CERTAINLY NOT OBJECT TO
SUCH An ORDINANCE. OWNERS WHO WISH TO VI0-
LATE THE Law SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO SUBMIT
TO IT
Gen Howe did not offer the ordinance Of his own voli
ton. Il prepared by the attorney general Of the
United States the request Of the department and
has been adopted by many cities it is Illegal then the
attorney generals Office Of the United States has stupid
men working for 1t.
Gen How're did not present the ordinance upon
initiative general order from the secretary Of waE
IESTRUCTS HIM where social diseases increasing
among his troops TO take up the matter with the civil
officials and with the various civic and other societies in
the city says that the commanding general may at his
discretion declare "out OF military bounds" any house
Place Of business locality that dangerous to the health
Of the Of his command
IT IS WITHIN THE POWER OF GEN. HOWE To-
DAY TO DECLARE THE ENTIRE CITY OF Ell PASO
OUT OF BOUNDS" SHOULD BE WISH TO DO so, and,
if disease among his troops continues the increase
he may have TO this Of the fact that TO
place guards every roOmng house II Fl Paso TO which
his medical and intelligence officers have raised an
objection would require too large force Of guards
q
reatedy stated that he did not wish TO hurt the Of
the city He has shown his friendship for FL Paso IN his
acts He conseed with the city and county officials in
secret first, When he asked their help Not until the
general found It necessary to ask for public sentiment to
help IN the campaign did the matter get into the press
The city whole not fair to Gen Howe If It does
not support him Since his coming he has cooperated IN
every way with the officials Of the city and county and
With the people Of both He has recommended large
pendurss for building at Fort Bliss, and his recommenda
tons have been followed HIS friendly attitude towards
FL Paso has done much e Paso to the good
graces Of many military hgher-uPs who were VIGOROUSLY
set against doing anything for We all know that.
As commanding officer Of the troops in the FL Paso dis
t the general IS responsible for his How he
consistently recommend Fl Paso ideal place for sol
Ts when the percentage Of disabled from social dis
ease nearly 400 to 1000 IN some commands?
Health reports 90 daily from Fort Bliss to the Southern
department headquarters San Antonio there
TO Washington Each week, acknowledgment Of these re-
ports calls attention Of Gen Howe the fact the
disease rate IN his command is higher-"THE HIGHEST
IN The DEPARTMENT the last letters to the
general from his department commander Yet there are
who VIII assert loudly: AEl Paso worse than
any other city" II not Why the heavy report Of social
diseases from the FL Paso commando
Ges. Howe vii have to do something to protect him