Evening star., 1934-06-04
Women Can Halt Crime Waue,
Says Mary Roberts Rinehart
Famous author ShOlCs
Success of Secret Six
Group at San Diego.
National Organization
Needed for Operation
Under Plan offered.

Women can stop kidnapping, rack
eteering, the venal types of murder
and most major crime in this country
and have perfectly grand time do
ing it."
So declared Mary Roberts Rine-
hart. noted author, in commenting on
the amazing success in cleaning up
San Diego, Calf. of a group of
women who carried out suggestions
made by Mrs. Rinehart in a magazine
article last November.
"Al the women have to do" Mrs.
Rinehart continued, is to band
themselves together, after the Secret
Six system which so terrorized the
criminals of Chicago's underworld.
Women love cause. A glance
over some of their organized activities
in the last few years proves that.
But most of the time the causes for
which their aid is asked are too dull
and uninteresting. Yet they love to
band themselves together for any
objective which, at the moment, ap-
peals TO them. On the contrary. it is
almost impossible to get such organi-
cations of men working except during
the emotional stress of war
Swamped With Responses.
Since outlining what I thought
women should do to put an end to the
horror of the crime wave which has
been sweeping this country. 1 have
been almost buried under the mail
which has poured in indorsing the
plan and urging me to start a ma
tional organization.
L have received letters from the
International Association of Police
Chiefs. from men in the Bureau of
Investigation of the Department of
Justice, from the police chiefs of
nearly all the large cities of the
country, and the letters from women!
Most of the women want me to
head an organization Nothing would
please me more, were physically able
to do it.
L earnestly hope that some woman
OF ability and fair for such things
would take my place, and lead this
movement to success. for I know it
can be done.
Consider what those women in San
Diego have done! 1t was a hotbed OF
crime, racketeering, smuggling not
only of ordinary wares, but liquor.
dope, Cinnamon, whatnot. 1t was
terribly corrupt. Most places where
crime flourishes are politically cor
rupt, The two things go hand in
hand
so the women, taking their cue, I
am told, from my suggestions, organ
ized secret groups One hundred
women serving anonymously in each
of the six councilmanic districts of
the city, and listed not by name, but
by numbers, soon confounded the
criminals who had not feared the po-
lice-mostly honest, but impotent in
the face of crooked political condi-
tions. I wish the women of other
communities would note how it was
done. for therein lies the peculiar
appeal which this secret shopping for
District Leaders Chosen.
Mrs. A. L. Simpson, who started
the job in San Diego, appointed a
No. l. woman in each district. Each
No. l. woman appointed three more,
and those in turn appointed others
until the committee of 900 was COM
plete.
Now. the point is, what should
these women do, once they are organ
lied into this secret organization for
finding out just what is going on,
and with the intention of stopping the
sort of crime which either strikes
terror to every woman's heart, such
as kidnapping and murder. or preys
upon her pocketbook. such as the
rackets levying tributes upon the de-
livery of her milk, the cleaning of her
dresses and her husbands suits, and a
hundred others?
by the way, Senator Copeland
after careful investigation, has esti-
mated that these rackets boost the
cost of living of the average family
in a city from 20 to Is per cent
Think of that. One dollar out OF
every five, or every four, Of the income
of the average head of family going
to racketeers!
II laid down l3-point program In
my article for them, as follows:
"' (A) Women to 60 to the polls
and there to elect reliable men. The
criminal votes.
"(B) Agitate without ceasing for
the divorce from politics of all forces