-. --V—
Why Laws . Are Broken
“The reason why the present
condition of affairs exists in this
town is one of four things: either
there is no law or ordinance gov
erning them; incompetent officers,
too weak or cowardly to enforce
the law; protection paid in direct
violation of the law; or failure on
the part of the mayov and council
to back up the officers. The public,
not I, must be their jjjflge and
jury.
“I am confident, however, that
competent officers, backed by the
mayor and city council and police
committee could clean .the ..town
of its tenderloin ..district, ..boot
leggers and gamblers. Many would
leave without standing trial.
Is the Line a Necessity?
‘What does the line produce:
A row of bootleggers, the head
quarters for the dope ring of
Ketchikan who are in league with
San Francisco agents, and robber
ies without arrest or conviction.
Last Christmas a young man on
'his way south to a waiting bride
was relieved of Ynost of his money.
In that case the king of tlhe
underworld played a part. I won’t
describe him. I will only say he
is an ex-convict. The man was
glad to get back $150 of his
$380. What would happen if a
bank clerk or grocery clerk short
changed?
“The city election is coming and
now is a good time to make law and
order a campaign rasae and elect
the right man to office.
Fishermen Made the Goat
“Another objection to the abate
ment of the red light district is
that the fishermen will sell their
fish elsewhere. If I were a fisher
man and you said that about me
I would never come to Ketchikan.
What a slander on their name
to class them with the underworld!
Bait and traps are used to catch
fish. The fisherman is baited with
the courtesan with her painted
face, trapped in our protected
houses of ill-fame, put to sleep
with knock-out drops and relieved
of his money. As high as $2,000
are lost in a day or two to boot
leggers, pimps and prostitutes.
“If the business men really wish
to hold the fishermen, why not
try some fresh bait? Run out a
row of piling along the old Thomas
Dock, make a breakwater, dredge
it -and make a harbor where boats
can be left safely. Charge a small
fee and have a watchman. Find
a pla'ce where the fishermen can
paint and repair their boats.. Give
them fair prices on their gear
and bait. Get behind the plan to
offer boat service to Prince Rup
ert and for a time forget redlights
and look upon the white lights
of purity and decency. If the
tenderloin district is necessary for
our prosperity, put a big red light
on a flag pole so tall that it can
be seen for twenty miles up the
channel to welcome the fishermen
— and President Harding when he
visits us next summer.
“The concensus of opinion has
been that this was going to be
a banner year,” Mr. Van Marter
went on, “but suddenly we find
that it is all a pipe dream and
our hopes are changed to dispair
all because a certain United States
attorney by the name of Charles
H. Miller, has seen fit to consider
his oath of office as sacred and
has proceeded to enforce the law.
We have the tragic picture of a
few business men making a plea
to the court to leave them the
restricted district with all of
its filth and rotteness—the ter
minal of the taxi cabs. Other pro
minent business men say, ‘it is the
bunk’? or ‘that fishermen demand’
or ‘our town needs’ such places.
“With all love, with all tender
ness,” Mr. Van Marter concluded
his sermon, making a final earnest
appeal to the men and women
present, “Have you a girl to give?
These houses cannot run without
girls. Someone must furnish them.
Will you ask women to go through
the pains of motherhood only to
have that loved child grow up to
be a denizen of the underworld?”
(Editors Note:—Chas. H. Miller
continued the fight but without
Rev. Vanj Marter although the red
lights are in the same place, in
the very same houses, and just as
numerous. Is Mr. Van Marter’s
silence his latest and revised ans
wer to his wife’s question quoted
above for which he alone is res
ponsible?)
RETURN TO PUBLIC DRINKING
PLACES WOULD MAKE MOTOR
CAR MENACE ON THE*
HIGHWAYS
Reo Motor Car Company,
Manufacturers Motor Cars and
Speed Wagons
Lansing, Mch., July 13.
The past three years experience
under prohibition has not changed
our views either o,m prohibition or
the enforcement of the laws bear
ing it. Our experience as manufac
turers has shown us that prohibition
even with the iax enforcement of
the law, is a success and much to
be preferred to the licenssed saloon
or in fact any method of selling
intoxicating liquors. It is very
unusual to have any difficulty with
any of our employees drinking.
They work much more steadily
and are better workmen and more
dependable in every way. The laws;
bearing on prohibition are not en
forced 100 per cent, neither are
laws bearing on other questions.
The return or public drnking
place would make hhe motorcar
a menace on the highways and would
stop the sale, to a large extent,
of the cheaper cars, as money
would be spent over the bar as
in the old days and the family
would go without a car.
H. Scott, President.;
NO OBJECTION, IT SEEMS
An elderly man of grouty ten
dency lived in dread of paralysis
When the fear caime upon him
he would pinch himself frantically
to make sure that his enemy , had
not attacked hm.
One night at a dinner party his
worse fears were confirmed.
“Come at last!” Come at last!”
he groaned. “Total insensibility of
not attacked him.
His partner alarmed, craved en
lightment. On being told the trag
edy, she said:
“Oh, well, if it’s any consolation
to you^ I may as well tell you that
it was my leg you were pinching.”
Mrs. Mandy Washington was a
hard working wash woman in a
mountain village of Tennesee, but
she made up her mind that she
would vote in the last election;
She applied to the proper clerk for
registration papers.
“What is your name,” asked the
official.
“Mrs. George Washington,” was
the repl.y
“Well, Mrs. Washington is your,
husband the ma. who cut down
the cherry tree?”
“No suh, he ain’t de man. He
ain’t done no work for nigh on
to a year.
PATRONIZE THOSE WHO AD:
VERTISE IN THE ALASKA FISH
ERMAN. ; i ii