The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-05
MORE WOMEN IN poLIrIcs

More women in politics and more
activity among women in handling
their community problems was the
demand made on the General Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs by Dr. Va1eria
H. Parker, a New England woman,
now executive head of the govern
ment Social Hygiene Board Dr.
Parker, though located in yoteless
Washington, still maintains her resi-
dence in Hartford, Connecticut, for
voting purposes. Women must have
courage to fight the vast network OF in
terests which form the vice rings in
every city," said DIR. Parker. '"The
fight is made in politics. Only when
women get actively interested in poll
ties as it relates to their daily lives do
they realize what power lies in their
votes.
There are 10000 people hacking
away at the twigs and branches for
every one who is cutting at the roots
of the vicious social conditions which
exist in every city. Politics is the
soil in which commercialized vice,
graft, drug peddling and bootlegging
grows. This soil in each communi-
ty may be sweet and clean, or it may
be stony and poor and produce moth
ing but weeds. 1t is up to the women
of each community to say what kind
OF civic garden they wish for their
children.
Vice 90 Percent commerciaIized
"Vice is SO percent con1mercialized.
1t is a simple money making bust
ness for certain type Of degenerate
people. The police can stop it IL they
wish. But public opinion must make
them wish. Women can make that
public opinion and express it through
their vote.
Women have no right to sit at
home wrapped in ignorance they call
innocence. 1 have never known a
woman who was not shocked and an
gered when this veil OF ignorant limo
cence was lifted from her eyes, and
commercialized vice in all it's sordid
trappings was exposed to her view.
''Women's votes will make the police
departments apply the laws. They
will make the judges enforce the pen
alties. Women's taxes help pay the
bills. They will find out why laws
vital to their happiness, welfare and
health are not lived uD to-
Women's Organization Continue Work
When the board was started appro-
priations were made by Congress to
establish social disease clinics as a
public measure in the various states
The appropriation last year was re-
duced to less than one fourth of the
previous year, and the state allot-
ments We're eliminated. The work
was continued last year through in
teresting women's organizations and
securing volunteer help. In spite of
the record OF accomplishment, no APP
for the Board has been
included in the budget now before
congress.
The work Of the Social Hygiene
Board is directed against vice as it
affects our men in uniform. Investi
gators for the Board examine into con-
ditions existing near camps and ports.
The result OF these Investigations, with
irrefutable evidence, is given to the
authorities In camps and in
and to the local police |
forces. The conditions are then cleared |
up by raids which are conducted by
the local authorities. The Social Hy-
giene Board has closed up a red light
districts. Nearly 500 cities have also
cleaned up loose conditions. The aver |
age disease rate in the army has now
dropped from a pre-war average OF 80 |
per thousand to about 81 per thousand |