El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-02-23
SPASMODIC EFFORTS WILL NEVER
CLEAN A CITY AND KEEP 1T SO.

eli rould receive kindly the stat. ens regarding moral
and disease conditions here by Maj Gen. Robert l.
Howe and members Of his staff The truth Of such state
adds 10 their popularity N fact the more
truthul they the less popular they are The pu5a
ZION Of such statements their public utteranoe naturally
soeaes the officers charged with responsibility for the
conditions attacked But the statements made by Cen
Howe and other military authorities were not made IN
spirit Of censuIe and the public knows they were not ALL
wrong should be thankful for the warning gwen
whether we agree with I'll that the general charges OF
think We ought to an the general urges, the fact IS that
FL Paso owes It to the military to cooperate in every way
possible n the protection Of soldiers from disease II the
conditions here fragrant that they need attention
then the attention should be given The increase Of disease
among the troops here is a strong indictment
Tie truth is thzt mayor Davis IS not to blame for con
doHs here, whatever they are He should not take pei
zonsl Offence He has, apparently, endeaVoreo 10 keep e
Plso from openly embracing vice and It must be salo ta
Paso is outwardv about clean any city but We
ali inoE-the men the conduct Of the 0tys al
fairs and those engaged generally in business-tha we
have good deal Of ssoret wee here Maybe II IS no more
than elsewhere but 1t IS here Perhaps there is Official pro
tecou for much Of it. The Herald does not believe nor
does anyone else believe that the mayor has guilty knoWl
edge Of this but possible for much Of 1t TO be
present without SOME official OF officials having kno0
edge Of The fact that II exists ano SO many peepi
know i proof that there must be protection o. some
sort This exists n every city and always VIII We
should md out WHO protects it here peace ofrcer
rbo Gets less than 500 month salary has TO have
strong VII to resist an offer OF SIS week from room
ing house proprietor gambler for protection Many
viii rsk the 500 Job to take the weekly graft tor the
simple reason that family needs the money TINS pre-
rails IN the best police departments IN the world ana must
continuously II douDr prevails
not confined 10 the police II IS known tat
military provost guard recently warned number OF Wo-
uen that out for their arrest Gen howe
VIII have 10 give closer attention to his provost guard
r the vice stamped out He can set me CIVILIAN
All the VICE is not confined to the To0ming houses.
MANY Of these little painted faced girls seen about the
streets every day out "after soldiers, IN the yer
nacusr the police. Many Of the provost guards and
almost all Of the police know these girls They have to
Be disposed Of in way before any action towards the
rooming houses VIII stop the wee.
The vice at which the army is striking is inherent N
17 civilization and not be COPIED with successfully oy
merely esctiuE this nan OF that office by pass
ing this that law It can be eur5ed only BY con
slant vigilance Only by sudous scientific and constant
attention the raTzges Of social diseases be gaea
OF co1nnsrcislized immortality lesssned-
The sensible way get at Foe IS to go after Il hard
all the tine, not spasrodlealy some sensible nelnoo p
dealing with professionals should be instituted ana
MAINTAINED Efforts should not be allowed to lapse
With clinics taking Of the victims we would be 1alriy
On the way recovsry from the whole social menace
The OFFENDING women can soon be identified BY the
civilian ofcialsif they are already known, and If
firmly ted Oh" out Of the city, they VIII move
tt every ~ took such action these would have to
20 some legitimate business IN short time But
ssrr politicians With pull lawyers who stand N
permitted to bah out the faTortes and cause ponce
Investigations every tine woman IS arrested VINO nas
enough money hire defender then there IS not gong
10 Be any cleanup When owners Of rooing houses exert
their pulp with officals-because these places #
Quoted IN the interest Of vice and the vicious bring more
onsyto keen the places from being prosecuted there VII
continue to be complaints from the war department ana
its workers regarding lazty in morals.
When the army pyroteehneal Ieforners make semi
occasional accusations and drives against sin they
psh exactly nothing and when civilian officials pass the
buck dodge the and hit back instead Of looking
the foundation Of the charges to see they may be
true, IS accomplished.
Wherever there large military camp, there IS go
ing to Be large colony Of shameless women and plenty
o. shameful 10 gobetweens. It IS IN the
7 nature Of or scheme Of things that this should be
scientific solution Is the only solution. That sort Of
ssuou has never been tried by rsformers and public Of
cias yet While arriving at It. We can at least
enforce existing laws against crime
Steps are being taken within the army to provide
greater variety Of wholesome recreation for soldiers This
VII 20 far toward reducing the demand among soldiers
for immoral forms Of amusement
The program Of enlightenment which the army IS se-
vancnr among soldiers and the better Iecreaous IA
british instinct n the wearing the uniform SINH
program among the needing It IN civilian life
clinic for the treatment Of those diseased, and firm
stand BY officials VIII remedy the condition and
stamp cut much CT the for complaint.
There occasion resent everything suggested fcr
tie betterment OF city when know there is for
Improvement Suggestions should be received kindly and
considered vel Ihens public officials with backbone
enough to take stand firmly against friend foe who
ransgzssses the laws Of deceny and right should take
such steps VIII iproFe the conditions complained Of
and hsW to the line, regardless Of who Is caught
The military officials have a right to sympathetic
assstanoe they should Be told plainly what their part
program must BE- Then should all work together.
Results viii come But need grow hystercai be-
reference Of moral character and only hypo-
critical when back and say we have no vice for
have and has every city the size Of FL Paso and
what is more, we KNOW We have
It is better to be right and hated than wrong and
Pstted.
The man Who CANDLES and wins, lives to gamble an
other day-and lose
nan Is never down until his VIII is broken