Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-08
WOMEN WILL
BE CAUSE OF
STRTCTER WS
Social Hygiene Board Is
Example of Posi-
biLitieS.
r, CONSTANCE DRExEL.

WASHINGTON, April S.-''The laws
in the United States will become more
stringent as time goes on" is the opin-
lon Of DR.. Valera H. Parker, executive
secretary Of the United States Inter
departmental Social Hygiene Board, as
she expressed herself in conversation just
before leaving her office for San Antonio.
DR.. Parker goes TO Texas to investigate
conditions surrounding the 5000 sol
diers stationed in that State.
BY more stringent laws" she ex-
planned, Il do not mean that the mo-
zion picture theaters will be closed or
that grandfather will be deprived Of
the comforts OF his corncOb pipe. That
is the way reform is painted by its OPP
ponents But the entrance Of the wom-
en- into our political life is bound to
lead to more stringent laws affecting
vice in all forms"
No function of the Federal Govern
ment is watched with more earnest at
tention by women throughout the coun-
try than the work Of which DIT. Parker
is charged with carrying out.
Before accepting the position as Uncle
Sans watcher over the young men in
the armed branches Of the Government
service, Dr.. Parker was a physician IN
Hartford, Conn, but she had specialized
in social hygiene as a member OF the
American Social Hygiene Association and
Of the Section Of Delinquency Of the Ma
tlonaI Conference Of Social Work. Her
appointment, to succeed Dr.. 7. A. Storey.
was made about a year ago. Thus she
is a member Of the so1called ''wOman's
cabinet"-the term officially applied TO
about a dozen women holding the high
est positions in the Federal Government
Just at present special attention IS
being drawn to the United States Social
Hygiene Board because the apprOpria-
ton has not yet been made for the
next fiscal year beginning July u. After
hearing representatives OF a number Of
women's organizations the other day the
board voted to request the Department
OF Justice to include the board in its
appropriations or in its deficiency funds.
II this proposal IS accepted the board
will cease to be an independent COM
mission, but VIII be in the Department
Of Justice. The surgeon generals Of the
a rmy, Navy and Public Health Service,
and assistant Secretaries OF the Treas
ury, War and the Navy are members Of
tie Interdepartmental Social Hygiene
Board, hut they only meet every three
months. Hence the 1ecutive secretary,
DR.. Parker. IS the active head.
DR.. Parker gave the writer the follow
Ing facts;
Information gathered By the board has
resulted in closing eighty-three red light
districts in the last three years. The
Army venereal rate has h@eI cut from
ninety to sixty-twO. In one c3se. at a
southern camp city it drOpT ?. from 1913
to twenty Several hu.1red cities
have staged cleanup campaigns. Based
on the Army cost of disqualification,
about S1.0O0O00 has been saved The GOV
eminent, at cost OF SOD. 0OO-as 4 re-
suit Of this disease prevention rather
than cure work"
The country is divided into nine dis
tricts, each in charge Of q supervisor.
There are forty-fve field agents, mostly
in charge OF an office where the Navy
and Army bases and camps are located.
But, though the efforts Of the board are
limited by Congress to the soldiers and
sailors IN active service, wOmens Organi-
cations which are anxious that those ef-
forts continued undated, know the in
fuence is felt in the entire population.
Moreover, as in the case Of New Jer-
sey, where Governor Edwards signed the
model vice repressive measure on March
q. the local agent Of the Inter Depart
mental Social Hygiene Board can help
to obtain necessary laws from State legis-
latures-C Copyright, 1922, by Public Led
ger Company