ANTI-VICE LEAGUERS
AGAINST SEGREGATION
City Commission Asked to
Reverse Its Order as to
Fallen Women.
FORMAL PETITION FILED
Mrs. A. H. Dailey and Mrs. L.
Crozier French Address
Commissioners.
"Speaking as the authorized repre-
sentative of thirty-three women's or-
ganizatlons of Knoxville," Mrs. A. H.
Dailey appealed to the city commis-
sioners to "enforce the laws against
the social evil." Mrs. L. C. French,
who accompanied Mrs. Dailey in her
presentations to the city commission,
argued against the theory of segrega-
tion of vice, and urged the dissipation
of the evil and of the dual standard
of morality as between men and
women.
These women addressed the com-
mission, as a sequel to the enactment
of an order one week ago instructing
the police of the city "not to pursue
or prosecute prostitutes, no matter in
what section, of the city they may be,
unless they are engaged in some in-
dependent violation of the law, such
as profanity, drunkenness, fighting or
any of the penalties know to the law."
They also protested against the
theories and sentiments expressed in
Mayor Heiskell's two messages to
the commission, in which he treated
of the social evil in Knoxville, and ar-
gued in favor of a segregated district.
Mrs. Dailey, who is president of the
Anti-Vice league of Knoxville urged
the commission to reconsider its action . She said the legislature had
declared evil resorts a mxisance, the
police of the city should not "inter-
fere with the nuisance law." She
argued that segregation is not a rem-
edy for the social evil, and stated that
homes are ready for all fallen women
who wish to forsake evil.
Mrs. French's address was in the
nature of argument against the principles involved in the two messages
of the mayor. She discussed elementary phases of the social evil, declaring that in the past women were
forced into evil or suffer death, and
that the reason that it has prevailed
has been because men willed that it
should. She urged the downfall of
the double standard of morality for
men and women, and asked why the
men who are guilty should not be
segregated or declared a, nuisance.
Quotations of authorities cited by
Mayor Helskell in his messages were
attacked by Mrs. French. Of that
taken from the Encyclopedia Brit-
tanica she said: "It is but the mere
printed opinion of fallable man, and
is therefore no ultimatum." As to
quotation that "the elementary laws
upon which prostitution rests are
stronger than the artifical codes imposed by moral teaching, conventional standards, or legislatures," Mrs.
French said the truth of the matter is
that the social evil "is contrary to
and in violation of every elementary
law."
Mrs. French seconded the request of
Mrs. Dailey in asking the mayor and
commissioners "to enforce the law
made by the last state legislature
against prostitutes."
Upon motion of Commisisoner Sam
K. Hill, the address of the ladies was
ordered received, and referred to the
commission in committee of the whole.
The police order was passed a week
ago by Mayor Helskell and Commissioners McTeer and Hensley. Commissioners Flenniken and Hill were
not present at the meeting.
After the women had presented
their protests Commissioner Hill moved that their communcations be filed
and referred to the commission as a
committee of the whole. This motion
was accepted.
Commissioner John W. Flenniken,
of the department of streets and public improvements, read a communication in which he urged the commission to consider necessary legislation
in regard to streets and lights, stating that these things should come in
for consideration since other matters
had been considered at length.
He stated that the question of re-
paving Gay street is now ready for
action, and that the problem of bridges
is one of no small proportions, in
which it should be ascertained, said
he, who is responsible for repairs and
erection of new bridges over railroads, whether the railroads, the
Knoxville Railway &. Light company,
or the municipality. He stated that
there is now in the files of the city
a lengthy opinion by the city attorney
on these matters and that action on
them should be taken at once.
Women's Suffrage
