Evening star., 1926-01-06

Activities Of the Womans Bureau
Of the Police Depa artment in its
efforts to wipe out vice. immortality
and juvenile delinquency in the Dis
trict are strikincly portrayed in the
annual report of Lieut.. Nina {. Van
Wrinkle. chief Of the bureau. which
was submitted today to the District
Commissioners.
While the bureau operatives made
hut SS2 arrests during the year. Mrs
Van Wrinkle revealed that they made
numerous improvements in undesiI -
a bile conditions. Some of the things
the operative have done were
enumerated by her as follows:
Drove the drug store loafers" off
F street.
Broke up disorderly gangs of chill
dren in many sections Of the city.
Escorted many children home who
We're found on the streets late at
night.
Visited 2,44s moving picture
theGters.
Attended 519 dances.
Caught 20n truants.
Made 5000 inspections.
Examined $500 persons.
Sent 1916 persons to court, but got
Only 26 convictions.
Some ef the things Mrs. Van Wrinkle
compla ined about are:
Too many children are allowed To
go to the movies at night
Parents are guilty of permitting
children to attend unsuita BILE shows
Juveniles sell papers al all hours
even through early morning hours.
Need Outdoor Recreation.
Sanitary conditions in most Of the
small theaters are not good. and
small children generally attend these
places. Instead of outdoor recrea =
ton. too many children seem to have
only the moving pictures as means
Of pleasure. There is a need for
more Fairgrounds and community
centers properly located and super
vised to keep children interested and
off the Streets she said. Homes
should be made more attra ctive To
them. and parents should show a
closer rela ationship with their chill
dren.'
Many patrons of motion picture
theaters are guilty of indecencies.
The ma jority of children dealt with
are victims Of had social conditions at
home. broken homes. immortality, ie-
norance and poverty.
Drivers Of taxis and private automo-
biles who use their cars for immoral
purposes We're chara racterized hv Mrs.
! Van Wrinkle as the biggest men
ace Of society today" ITO these
'mashers' and quasi. pa nderers are
traceable most of the ofrenses against
young innocent girls and against in
discreet and venturesome young
women who are otherwise of good
ha bits. but who foolishly and readily
respond to invitations or are per
suaded to ride. A 'wayward minors
law would permit dealing with such
/ girls and their parents. and the law
! should include the right of petition -
the upper court with hearings In
! chancery but we would still need
! some means of handling the men OF
some corpora ton counsel who knows
how to apply existing laws for this
greatest of all modern evils.
! Scores Hotel Evil.
| Missing. wayward and immoral
! girls are lost in cheap hotels Of Wash
| inston because the owners are not
Obliged to register house guests.
Some better class hotels employing
unscrupulous men shelter girls with
out registration Many rooming house
| owners are equally guilty-conn nive at
! opportunities for the moral destruc'
| tion Of young girls. We, therefore
recommend that the right name and
! address law now employed in Boston
! he introduced here We should then
/ he able to make satisfactory search
| for girls reported to US and could
! locate more girls than under presen
conditions. All rooming houses rent
! ing more than two rooms should he
! licensed and inspected by the police.
! Mrs Van Wrinkle pointed out tina
! the situation in regard to carnival:
! has been definitely improved as re
suit Of the regulat ton limiting the time