Evening star., 1942-10-01
Urges
'Crackdown' on
Vice in D. T..
'Hord-BoiIed' Drive
And Use of Paddock
Lows Demanded

And Use OF Paddock
Lows Demanded
Chairman McCarran of the Sem
ate District Committee today called
on law enforcement agencies here
to "crack down" on vice conditions
by using the paddock provision OF
the Webb kenyon Act.
ANY one who listened to yester-
days hearing on the subject in the
District Committee, or who reads
the record, must come to one con-
clusion and that is that enforce
ment of the law is being admins
tered too SOFTLY" Senator McCarran
declared.
"A breakdown method, a hard
boiled administration should come
into operation promptly. The Army
authorities who attended the meet
ing disclosed that their records quite
definitely showed the areas in the
city where vice is carried on. It is
my judgment there is ample pro-
vision in existing laws to make the
practice less prevalent, but If fur
ther provisions are necessary all we
will need is a suggestion and the
statutes will be forthcoming.
Kelly Cites Difficulties.
Police officials, including Supt.
Edward J. Kelly, told the committee
the law against soliciting prostitu-
ton on the street is not broad
enough to cover solicitation in tav-
erns, dance halls and similar public
places and recommended an amend
ment. They said also they have
legal difficulty in proceeding against
call houses" where telephone mes
sages are received for persons to 60
elsewhere for illegal purposes.
| Senator McCaran said that in
all wars there have been epidemics
of more or less loose morals and
lax enforcement of law, but in the
Capital of this Nation at war some
thing must be done to protect the
health, well-being and, indeed, the
lives of boys in their teens who come
either to study or to work in the
Government service and who may
be the innocent victims of condi-
tions known to exist"
Says Marines Could Clean Up.
The Nevada Senator said he does
not think it will be necessary ito
add to the law enforcement facili-
ties of the District, but a few COM
panies of Marines would probably
clean this thing up rather rapidly"
What we need" he concluded,
sis more hard-boiled policy and
the application of common horse
sense, and perhaps a few padlocks."
Detective Sergt. Roy Blick of the
vice squad testified yesterday the
dificulty of making cases against
call houses" is the fact that investi-
eating officers must know who an
swered the phone.
DR.. George G. Ruhland. District
health officer, said the District is
sharing in the Federal program to
combat venereal disease. He point
ed out it is difficult to determine
. accurately the size of the problem
but said it is presumed the Dis
trict has had an increase.
Wants Law Tested.
In the health clinics 5000 cases
of syphilis are being treated, plus
about $500 cases under private
} treatment, he continued. The clinics
are treating $500 cases of gonor-
!, rhea, which, he said. is undoubtedly
under the actual number. DR.. Ruh-
land said he would like to see a
: court test made of the existing
communicable disease law to settle
the question of how far the city
may go in making treatment COM
pulsory.
; DR.. Rutland said it should be en-
phasized that mere diagnosis Of
venereal disease Is no stigma on
an individual, because there are a
) good many innocent cases. He sug-
gested that pre-marital examina-
tion law would be helpful.
District Attorney Edward Curran
said his Office is ready to prosecute
ito a forceful conclusion" when
cases of commercialized vice are
presented.
Capt. Rhoda Milliken of the
Police Women's Bureau, testified
I'VE do have certain legal difficult
ties and we might as well face
them" She referred to the diff
Guilty of dealing with call houses
and certain types of disorderly
houses. She suggested it is either
inadequacy of the law or differences
of opinion as to the amount of
evidence required.
May Resort to. Padlocking.
Senator McCarran inquired II
some padlocking proceedings under
the Webb-Kenyon Law would be
helpful. Maj. Kelly said his men
were at work and hoping to get
. sufficient evidence for that pur-
pose on number Of places.
, Among others who testified were
, Elliott Ness of the Defense Health
and Welfare Service of the Federal
Security Agency. James s. Owens
of the Division of Social Protection
of the Federal Security Agency
Mrs. o. w. Swinney of the Civilian
Defense Council and Edward l.
Ackerman of the Council of Social
Agencies.
Mr.. Ackerman submitted list OF
recommendations for improving the
r local situation which were discussed
f last week at meetings of the Wash
: ington Institute on Social Protec-
ton. Mr.. Ness stressed the adyisa-
t bility Of arranging conference OF
E Municipal Court judges, the police
2 vice squad and the health authori-
. ties for combined approach to the
two problems Of disease control
l and vice suppression.
DR.. H. j. Crosson Of the District
Medical Society told We committee
that human nature cannot be
changed by legislation. The un.
fortunate women who become in
volved In vice are subnormal. he
t contended. and should be given ar
, indeterminate sentence and be sent
to a farm established for the treat