Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-30
BY Frederic J. Haskin

Washington. March s0.--When
new chief Of police was appointed re-
Gently in Washington the announce
ment went forth that gamblers. book
makers. drug peddiers and other
forms OF underworld entertainers had
better seek fresh field for their games.
Thoss forms Of yico which exist In
every city which has no strong civic
consciousness we're Euuning wide In
Washington. They were run very
quietly but the door was always open
With the announcement that Tho
new chief of police would start de-
terminsd effort 10 clean up tho Capital
city. n Iittio known bureau OF the gov
eminent stepped forward with long
list Of plnoes on which evidence had
been obtained. Vice war ranpa M on
the very dOorsteps Of tho Capitol
Building Itself the report showed a
congregational investigation In under
way 70 verify this report And find why
This condition exists In defiance Of the
law.
The quiet government bureau which
had collected these facts goes ny the
name 81 tho 4. =. Interdepartrnental
Social Hygiene Board The In
/ tsrdepartrnental' comes from the fact
that tho Secretaries OF War, Navy
and tho Treasury are on tho boaro,
AS are tho Surgeon Generals OF the
/ Army. Navy and Public Health Ser-
Vice. The active head of tho board
il a woman. Dr. Valera II. Parker
who has had very vide experience In
social work. Before Accepting th'
position as Uncle SANS watcher over
tho young men in the nations armed
forces. DR. Parker was chairman u
the social Hygiene Committee of th'
National League Ot Women Voteri
and n member OF the Section OF De
Ilinquency Of the National Conference
Of Social Work.
The government war on vice is or
ganized through this Bureau Tn
d Board Is definitely charged with IN
duty Of protecting the health u tn
men in uniform while they arc i
civilian communities. 50 well has IN
work been done that IN one year It
estimated that over $1,000 900 wa
saved the Government. This amour
= would have been spent in the hos
= pitalizataon Of infected men. had NJ
4 the number Of infections been gres'
0 ly reduced. The cost OF the work hs
. been about t225.O0o. II IS psyir
g proposition.
q Science supplants SentimentalIty.
The governments war on vice re-
resents a new and powerful force
ID work throughout the nation toda
70 Science, substituted for sentiment
giving the world new sense Of pub
IN safety.
IN The scientific side Of reforms a
"a reforrners IS the view taken by {
d Interdepartmeutal Social Hygie
Board. Interested In the health
$ the nation, the scientific side
H. health and disease Is being preach
ia at every opportunity through pub
- health meetings IN every state,
Ie tended by medical men, public hea
officers, and representatives OF
:, cieties Interested IN the question. I
:. moral side OF the question Is bel
: left 20 the churches. as falling prop'
- ly within their province.
IA The medical approach 70 the 81
10 tect by the Hygiene Board is SIT
or and direct Science has proved u
OF no way has been found to make
Of safe. Therefore the only safe tn
- TO do is 70 attack vice. This p
has a proven record and is an exc
nd tlent example Of the cheaper TO p
y? vent than. cure policy OF mod
L. medical practice"
To- lust how heavy the vice toll
Ted comes was gathered from the reco
he 70 the Public Health Service which
led working at the problem as It
26. fects civilians while the Social
the giene Board handles the military
the of the matter. Physician. Of
or Service estimate that about 1.SO'
XII cases Of diseases due solely TO
social conditions occur each year.
os- From the medical standpoint
S. means, great danger Of passing OF
10 the next genera ton a virulent baci
the so insidious in It's effect that few c
mes dren live under the handicap.
those who do are sickiy and W.
ent From the national standpoint q
T. is the danger OF losing effective (
the zens.
ex- Vice Cost Is Big.
i's The Social Hygiene Board ple
ICe' the cash cost OF this social folly m
me " among the soldiers IN the Al
eSs during the war period at $4,000.
=, In 1919, the cost IN the Army
Ia placed at s15, 900. 900. The cost was
a in 1920 to about s5,5o0,o 600. It Is al
Asi- -
T.