Evening star., 1942-10-01
Laws Deficient
For War on Vice,
D. {. Unit Told
U. S., District Officials
Give McCorron
Views on Problem

Va ASV SOAAAAAAAttCC AutC yCoICIuAy cA-
isting laws are inadequate to cope
with some phases of commercialized
vice, including solicitation in tav-
erns, dance halls or similar public
places.
They said they have difficulty also
in curbing what they termed "call
houses" where only telephone mes
sages are received.
Their testimony was given during
round-table discussion arranged
by Chairman McCarran to find out
If all possible steps are being taken
to protect the health OF the COM
munity from venereal disease.
Oficials of the United States Pub
lie Health Service, District Health
Department, United States attor-
ney's office, the Army, Navy, Federal
Security Agency and local social
agencies joined in the exchange of
views.
Kelly Urges Broader Authority.
Maj. Edward j. Kelly, superin-
tendent Of police, said the existing
regulation against solicitation on
the streets is not broad enough and
said he would like to see it amended
to include taverns, dance halls and
similar places.
Detective Sergt. Roy Blick of the
vice squad had testified earlier of
the difficulty OF making cases
against call houses" because, he ex-
planned, the investigating officers
must know who answered the phone.
Senator McCarren stressed the
Importance of doing everything pos
sible to protect the community from
the spread of social disease and
pointed out that the curbing of
commercialized vice is necessarily
related to the health problem.
Senator McCarran expressed the
belief that educating the boys who
are still in school to the dangers
involved in the social disease prob
lem would go long way toward
saving the youth themselves and
Improving the health situation.
DR.. George C. Rutland. 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
en- individual. because there are a
good many innocent cases. He sug-
gested that a pre-marital examina-
ton 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 we'll 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 If
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 a list of
recommendations for improving the
local situation which were discussed
last week at meetings of the WASH
ington Institute on Social Protec-
ton. Mr.. Ness stressed the advisa-
bility Of arranging conference of
Municipal Court judges, the police
vice squad and the health authori-
ties for a combined approach to the
two problems of disease control
and vice suppression.
DR.. H. j. Crosson of the District
Medical Society told the committee
that human nature cannot be
changed by legislation. The un-
fortunate women who become in
volved in vice are subnormal, he
contended. and should be given an
indeterminate sentence and be sent
to a farm established for the treot :