Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-10
Vice in New York.

The report of New York City's Com
mittee of Fourteen on vice conditions
in the metropolis seems destined to q
cycle that is fairly well established in
this country. The report is made and
there is fare of headlines and COM
nnent. The report is denied by police
officials, the duly constituted agency
for law enforcement, as well as by
those implicated The district attorney
promises prosecution provided there is
evidence. The evidence Is not pro-
duced, and within a short time the
report will be stuck away in dusty files.
there to remain unless some political
faction chooses to adopt 1t as We
hicle in which to ride through CAM
paign shouting the battle cry of "A
clean city and clean morals"
In the present case the Committee
of Fourteen, after extended investiga-
ton. dropped its report with startling
suddenness in the laps OF police ON
cials and stood back to watch the ef-
feet. The report charges that night
clubs and speakeasies in New York
have revived conditions Of commercial
lied vice similar to those flourishing
in the DAYS of the back room" OF open
saloons and the Raines law hotels
The police officials had not been con-
suited. Instead of taking the report
as a spur to law enforcement, the re-
port rankies In their breasts and Is
regarded with vindictive scorn, It Is
denied. The district attorney is inter-
ested, but says he cannot prosecute un-
less there is evidence of the conditions
charged. There being no evidence, ap-
parently, there win be no prosecution.
AS might have been expected, the
report revives the argument over pro-
hibition as a cause of crime and loose
morality. One side takes the position
that in the days of the open saloon
and Raines law hotels these establish
menss were, at least, under the constant
eye OF the police. who frankly regarded
them for what they were and prepared
themselves to act accordingly. Nova
days. 1t is maintained, the speakeasies
and night clubs. alleged by the report
TO be the breeding places for revived
commercialization OF vice, are not
watched by the police, who take no
official coenizance OF their existence.
Public dance halls are also condemned
and the conclusion Is drawn that they,
too. are the direct result of prohibition.
Public dance halls, Of course, have little
to do with prohibition. Public dance
halls came In as q natural accompani-
ment to the dance craze which swept
the country In its first epidemic within
the last twenty years and antedated
prohibition. Their status as social
menace has been slightly affected. If
at all. by prohibition.
II there Is an effort TO connect the
alleged conditions of vice In New York
City with prohibition. 1t Is largely mis-
directed. Such conditions are not due
10 prohibition, though they may be
directly connected with failure In New
York to enforce prohibition. The Com
mittee OF Fourteen's report will. If IL
accomplishes nothing else. provide pien-
ty Of ammunition to both sides of the
prohibition issue. Conditions, In the
meanwhile, viii continue to be what
they always have been. depending alto
gether upon the temper and effective
ness Of the administration which hap.
pens to occupy City Hall.