Evening star., 1921-11-22
SPEAKERS DISCUSS
VICE SUPPRESSION
Measures for Social Hygiene
Explained in Cosmos Club
Auditorium.
WASHINGTON SETS LEAD
DR.. Fowler Cites Details Of Bill
Making Treatment of Dis
eases Compulsory.

Measures for social hygiene IN the
District were explained to the Mon
day Evening Club by speakers at
meeting held at the Cosmos oluo
auditorium last night. They lncluueo
Alan Johnstone, secretary OF the
Maryland Social Hygiene ASSOCIATIONS
David Robinson of the United States
health service, and DIR. William '.
Fowler, District health officer.
The vice suppression bill ana tne
bill which would give the local healtn
department more power IN the hdh-
ding of social diseases were pre-
sented to the club by the speakers.
Mrs Nina c. Van Wrinkle, head OF
the woman's bureau of the police de-
partment, presided during the. spe-
cial discussions, after being intro
duced by President Arthur d. Call.
In Midst of Radical Change.
Mr.. Johnstone pointed out that the
United States, and seemingly the
world, is in the midst of a radical
change of sentiment in regard to the
whole question of social evils, their
toleration and their suppression. and
the best ways to fight them. He said
that there is no city $50 sensitive to
salvage unfortunate women" as
Washington. and declared that he
and others throughout the country
have been gratified at the develop
ment of the police and health de-
partments of the District of Column
bia. He said that there is a small
area in Washington which still might
be termed red light" but that in
the old sense of the term very few
cities in the country had any such
districts left.
Mr.. Robinson told of the vice sup
pressive bill for the District and de-
clared that prostitution is still being
carried on in the District, naming one
street where women, he said, openly
solicit. Il am surprised that there are
not open houses of prostitution here"
he continued. declaring that the po-
lice, while Jealous. can only secure
fines of $25 for offenders.
Warns Against Apathy.
Apathy on the part of the general
public. Mr.. Robinson said, might pre-
vent the vice suppression bill from
becoming a law, and he appealed to
the individual members of the club to
go before Congress and make known
their desire as residents of the Dis
trict that the bill be passed.
DIR: Fowler explained in detail the
provisions of the bill which would
make treatment Of persons afflicted
with any of the social diseases COM
pulsory. DR.. Fowler declared that
the provision which would give the
health department the right to make
would not be abused, and that those
who feared this provision need not
feel that it would give the department
any drastic rights Incompatible with
the freedom of Americans.
Gives Draft Statistics.
Following the customary five min
utes' recess, DR.. George NJ Kober
opened the discussion. citing statis-
tics of the draft examination which
bore upon the general topic of the
evening. President Call announced
that John 1hlder had been made chair
man of the housing committee of the
club. to take the place made vacant
by the resignation of Mrs. Ernest
Bicknell.
The following were admitted to
membership in the club: Miss Rosa
Brown. DIR. Faleria Parker. Mrs. Ada
lene Jaynes Pomeroy. Mrs. Clara
Sears Taylor. Mrs. George Webster,
Miss Marjorie E. Hendricks. Miss
Grace Sutphin. Miss Nellie Reed, Miss
Martha Trigg, Miss Marie Sebastian.
Mrs. Alice =. Briggs. Miss May G.
Lowry, Miss Nellie Brisco, Mrs. Carrie
Mowat and Miss Elizabeth Gilman.