The spectator., 1921-08-05
Segregated District
 Essential for Protection


 The necessity of 8 county farm where the homeless can be cared for was emphasized last week when Judge King was called on to send Mrs. Roys to the Reform atory at Little Rock. Mrs. Roys and her hnsb md were tried at the last term of the circuit court for burglary and grand larceny. On account of her youth and sex she was released and her husband sent to the penltentiary. This left her homeless and helpless. A kind -hcarted woman kept her for awhile and some charitable pe6- pie made up money and sent her to her mother at Mena. Ark. A short time later she returned to this place. Last week she was arrested in Fort Smith and sent down for Judge King to deal with. So far as we know, she was a virtuous Wite. By being thrown out into the world, with the stigma of a crime upon her, with the mind of child and the body of a woman, her downfall was rapid in this Christian { ? land of ours. With the proper influence and protection she might have been saved. but as we have no home for the desti- ute she was lost, and then in- stead of having a segregated district where she would be under medical and police con trol. she was permitted to wan der where she pleased. scattering a blighting disease to be handed down to our children. She was even allowed to prepare meals for an unsuspecting family at the peril of their of their health.
 We have little sympathy with ultra conservatives. but we. with all seriousness, doubt the wisdom of the D eudo-reformers who se- cured the abolishment of the red ,is.ns. districts of our cities, We concede that before 1J14 1t may have been an advancement in our crude civihzation. but in view of the moral laxity that has swelt ove- the entire world as a result ,af ,ke war. We helieve II can b. demonstrated thsd re'dhght dl , t,ic shouIi be established l every tuwn ,he size ot OIa k and ,he policr and board of eau should exercise strict super rlsioi over them. All immoral girl> should be. segregated m these dis. tricts and receive medical atten- tion. To license immortality be came unpopular a few years ago, but we question whether we arc in as good condition morally a we were under the license system, and we are sure that there ha been a great increase in venereal diseases. A woman was arrested at the Charleston picnic. Wednes, day, who. no doubt. did more harm to the present and future generations than the Arkansas river full of Whiskey could do.
 Another reason why we should have immoral girls segregated is to remove an evil influence anG grave moral danger to the young girls and boys. That the asso' citation of these girls ruin many innocent girls IS a we'll establish ed fact. A few years ago gir in this place stepped aside. A younger neighbor girl was hel associate: she long since fell This younger girl had some gir friends. The parents of these girls tried in a feeble way to keeI them apart, but these girls have gone wrong. We know three girls have been ruined by con, tact with one immoral girl. who should have been segregated and many more may have beer ruined by this one girl who was turned loose on a helpless com, munity. Three of these girls art said to be afflicted with venerea diseases and have been scatter ing it among the boys and mar ried men. We can point to ont town in which the Sunday schoo superintendent and a deacon ant the deac0n's wife were afflicted with venereal disease from tht lack of medical supervision o1 prostitutes.