Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-04
|]PE IS'SPREAD|NG,
SAYS DR.. M'HENRY
habit Becoming a Worse Evil
Than Drink, Declares Head
Of City Mission
:IcH1ING 1T, SAY POLICE

Tho drug habit Is spreading in South
,d West Philadelphia and is contain
rating Young girls through the mediun
Joncc halls and social clubs, charges
10 Rev. II. Crcsson McIleDry, superln
nrdsnt of the Episcopal City Mission.
'iIf Tho authorities would devote hait
,nncb activity to the restraint OF the
ono traffic as they do to the enforce
I'm of the yolstead Act" said Mr.Mc-
9enry leu, "tbey would eradicate the great.
a evil in the city today.
1.-THE dope evil is not only holding
ts own. but it is spreading to class OF
yeople that the public has never dreamed
4 Not only are the ranks OF dope ad-
icts being recruited from young men;
Inf Young women are also belng added
u their numbers. Persistent reports
70 constantly reaching me both in my
kaice and my home downtown. that
trbool children are being broken into the
habit. -.
oceiycd. the children are accosted by
,oddlers on the way to school who
iii them or IL necessary give them pow
,ers and candies containing some form
n dope. /,
0Thc young girls are largely reached
SbrouCh the social clubs and dance halls
,owntown. At these places which |
baye had under investigation for some
lime. the girls associate promiscuously
With all sorts of men.
Lure Girls to Habit
"a great many of the attendants at
kbese affairs are drug addicts or men in =.
+. kn I,nn fro pa Thn.y ,a
Enterestcd in swelling their ranks. in
ksct, many Of them. to my knowledge
have boastcd of the fact that they were
|soiug to get" the girls. The young
kirrs curiosity is easily played upon
'by these fellows. who are clever psy-
Biologists. and it is not long before they
have her in their clutches.
7"This activity on the part of dope
|users has been ac0entuated by the fact
|that they don't have much success with
|mep aud women who have the alcohol
|babit The two habits are diametrically
|opposite to each other and from my ex-
|oerience as druggist | know that it is
|pathologicaly impossible for the alco-
|hol used to take to the drug habit.
"The drug habit is not merely con
|6ned to small section of the center of
|tbe city. as in the Tenderloin and the
Eighth and Carpenter, streets. section.
(which Is headquarters. Nearly the
whole downtown section isaffected south
In Market street and east Of the Schuyl-
lin river. BY that | mean that the
drug habit exists all through that sec
tion. 49,. ,..,.,.,...'.. ''''
West PhiladeIphia Infected
"West Philadelphia. has also become
hourishing section for the use of the
krug. Users of dope are scattered
bretty well over the whole section.
at is, of course. difficult to fight the
traffic because of the extreme secretive-
hess Of the trafiickers. but for that rea
bon and the fact that the habit has
spread over so much ground it is up to
he authorities to extend themselves be-
ond the efforts they have been making
4 they are to curb this evil"
Director of Public Safety Cortelyon
dmitted today that the dope traffic
vas of serious proportions. but said that
(he battle waged against it for the last
Iix months was having its effect.
"The number of arrests made and the
hmount of dope confscated is adequate
proof Of the activity of this department.
ln activity that will not be lessened
hntl the evil is overcome he said.
Assistant Superintendent of Police
Tempest and Charles Lee. captain of
he vice squad. are constantly at work
bn the problem with their men. The
iope traffic is serious question, but
pne that can and will be overcome