There was objection to the term "neighborhood conditions." It is the duty of the police to take action on neighborhood conditions which have a tendency to cause delinquency and which provide a fertile field for prostitution. The bill includes" wayward minors" who are now presenting, and will always present until provided for in this way, a difficult and almost neglected social problem. Neglected because legal measures lead to the workhouse and protective social measures to civil court action against police officers. Although the courts have sustained police officers-such civil action should be made impossible where police officers act on absolute information and knowledge that the minor is in bad moral surroundings. A " 'wayward minor law" should support the policewoman's bill which will merely permit action-the "minors" bill should provide means for court action in chancery by petition without a criminal charge for the protection of the child and supreme court judges should have power of commitment to proper institutions whether in the District of Columbia or in other jurisdictions, for which cases maintenance funds should be provided by the District of Columbia. The question was raised of discrimination against women in this bill. The detailed functions prescribed in the bill-until the woman's bureau was established-were performed by policemen as best they could. It is no more discrimination to direct policewomen to serve on behalf of women and children than to have women nurses for women patients. A letter from a public official to the District Committee of Congress advised striking out the clauses that insure the appointment of properly qualified women only and their promotion for merit only. There is no other way to secure efficiency and honorable public service than by competitive examination, the selection of the best qualified persons and reward for meritorious service. Policewomen as they now function under the handicaps hereinbefore described, cover details at the railroad station, department stores, convenience stations, dance halls, cabarets, cafes, parks, market places, motion-picture houses, theaters, etc. Last year a total of 9,070 inspections were made. Policewomen dealt with hundreds of cases involving truants, disorderly persons, mental cases, shoplifters, sex offenders, unmarried mothers, cases of desertion and nonsupport, violations of the prohibition and narcotic laws, questionable neighborhood conditions, disorderly houses, questionable advertisements, incorrigible children, domestic cases, neglected children, destitute persons, etc., necessitating 3,478 visits and 3,530 interviews. Eight hundred ninety-seven original complaints were received at the woman's bureau-others were referred by the police and outside agencies-many originated from the work of the patrols. Six hundred and eighty-two arrests were made resulting in the following dispositions: 199 fined and paid; 18 committed without fine; 4 placed on bond; 6 held for the grand jury; 33 pending; 43 placed on probation and 23 on suspended sentence; 53 to the Board of Children's guardians; 14 to National Training Schools; 68 to hospitals; 193 released to parents and friends; 15 to State and military authorities; 9 cases dismissed in court; and 4 nolprossed. One thousand two hundred and forty-three missing persons were reported to this bureau, of whom 173 were returned to homes in 66 cities in seventeen different States. ENDORSEMENTS (Copy of letter from the District of Columbia Federation of Women's Clubs) Mrs. MINA C. VAN WINKLE, Chief, Woman's Bureau, Metropolitan Department, APRIL 28, 1925. Washington, D. C. My DEAR Mrs. VAN WINKLE: The District of Columbia Federation of Women's Clubs, in regular session, April 27, indorsed the report of Mrs. W. A. Winklehaus, chairman public welfare committee, District of Columbia Federation of Women's Clubs, in its relation to the work of the bureau for women, young girls, and children. The federation passed a motion of interest and cooperation in this splendid effort of social welfare activity, and pledges its support wherever possible. By direction. Cordially yours, OLIVE CLAPP STEELE, The following is the resolution indorsed at the meeting of the District federation April 27, 1925: 66 Whereas the policewoman is one of the most important public servants in the prevention of crime, delinquency and evil conditions in the community, and therefore the protector of youth; and "Whereas this service is most effective where policewomen function in a unit as a woman's bureau with a woman director having rank equal to that of other officers in the Metropolitan police department who are immediately subordinate to the chief of police, or the commissioner of public safety, or the commissioner of police; and 66 Whereas policewomen must do preventive-protective work for women and children; and they must therefore deal with all cases of women and children, whether offenders or victims of offenses; with all matters relating to lost children, fugitives from parents or guardians; with all sex offenses involving women and children; investigate the criminal exploitation of women and children, neighborhood conditions, commercial recreation, parks, hotels and rooming houses; deal with, interview and care for all females of whatever age coming into the custody of the police, and exercise such other functions as may prove necessary; and "Whereas this can be accomplished by the careful selection of educated, trained and experienced policewomen, conditions for whose admission to this service may not fall below standards fixed by the United States civil service: Therefore be it "Resolved, That the District Federation of Women's Clubs indorses this or a similar bill for enactment into law in the next session of Congress." Indorsements in principle or in fact have also been passed by the following organizations: District of Columbia Social Hygiene Society. International Association of Policewomen. General Federation of Women's Clubs. Oregon Federation of Women's Clubs. Colorado Federation of Women's Clubs. Federated Church Women of Milwaukee County. National Congress of Parents and Teachers. American Social Hygiene Association, and others. The District of Columbia Women's Christian Temperance Union at its annual convention, November 4 and 5, 1925, passed the following resolution: "Whereas the W. C. T. U. has for years indorsed and fostered the appointment of women in police departments, and believes in the importance of women's bureaus as protective agencies in all large cities, and 66 Whereas the woman's bureau of the police department of our National Capital, which has demonstrated a high standard of efficiency, has not been made permanent by law, 66 "Be it resolved, That the W. C. T. U. of the District of Columbia hereby indorses and supports the bill to give definite legal status to the woman's bureau in the Metropolitan police department." Realizing that legislation affecting the woman's bureau of the Metropolitan police department in the Capital of the Nation will serve as a model for the entire country, the International Association of Policewomen has pledged its resources to aid the passage of this bill. "Be it resolved, That the International Association of Policewomen in convention assembled in Washington on May 18, 1923, reaffirms the principles for which this organization has stood; i. e., "That where women are employed in a police department they shall function in one unit as a woman's bureau and shall have a woman in charge who shall be known as the director of the woman's bureau and shall be immediately responsible to the chief of police or to the commissioner of police, or to the commissioner of public safety, and she shall have rank equal with other such officers as are immediately subordinate to him. "That policewomen shall carry out a preventive and protective program which will include social protection of women and children. "That policewomen shall deal with all cases in which women and children are involved, either as offenders or as victims of offenses." The National League of Women Voters, in convention at Richmond, Va., April, 1925, adopted in substance, the following resolution, as part of their active social hygiene program: "Provisions for the prevention of delinquency, by means of legally established woman's bureaus in police departments and the appointment of properly qualified policewomen, probation officers and visiting teachers, with all necessary modern clinical equipment for their work." The Washington house of detention was established August, 1900, by the police department-six years before the creation of the juvenile court. It has remained under the jurisdiction of the police since that time. In September, 1920, the present building at 1445 Ohio Avenue was occupied, and a new staff of civilian workers was appointed. General supervision was transferred from the sergeant who had been in charge for many years to the lieutenant in charge of the woman's bureau because it was felt best to have an officer with special training and experience in the care of children responsible for the conduct of this shelter. The woman's bureau and the house of detention are two distinct units in the department and the appropriation for the maintenance of the house is separate from the police appropriation. The house of detention serves as a place for the shelter and detention of persons held for the courts, various branches of the police department, the woman's bureau, and for private and public social agencies. Lodging is provided for stranded women and children. Mrs. VAN WINKLE. And then, with reference to the board of trade. the board of trade summoned me before its committee on public order, and I presented the bill and a favorable vote was taken, when one of the members arose and said that he would prefer having the committee consult once more with the commissioners. I was present at this dinner. The entire public order committee of about 100 men were present, and the vote was unanimous. As to the Mr. RATHBONE. When was that, Mrs. Van Winkle? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. This was about three weeks ago. chamber of commerce, the chamber made a report similar to the one of the board of trade, and they never considered the bill at all; they had never seen the bill. The board of trade at least made an analysis of the bill and came to their own conclusions. Mr. BLANTON. Do you know what caused them to change? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. They said they were going to the commissioners; I don't know whether they went. The National Parent-Teachers Association has indorsed the bill, and we are going, with your permission, to call on a proponent from the National Parent-Teachers later. Mr. BLANTON. May I interrupt you there, Mrs. Van Winkle? Is this bureau more important to the wayward girls of the 48 States outside of Washington than it is to the girls of Washington? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. It is very important to both. Mr. BLANTON. What I mean is, the girls of Washington have the benefit of their own parents here to restrain them? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. Yes; that is true. Mr. BLANTON. But when the wayward girls from 48 States comehere the only thing that comes between them and ruin sometimes is your Woman's Bureau; is not that a fact? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. I would say there are a few other agenciesthe church, for example. Mr. BLANTON. Well, a wayward girl who comes to Washington does not go to church, does she? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. Not always. But, really, Mr. Blanton, the number of wayward girls that come from other States are not proportionately as large, of course, as the local group, but we did have 177 last year from 68 different cities in 17 different States. Mr. REID. As against how many local girls? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. As against 3,000. Mr. BLANTON. The point I was trying to make, Mrs. Van Winkle, is this, that we, who represent the 48 States, have an interest in this bureau Mrs. VAN WINKLE. Yes, indeed! Mr. BLANTON. A vital interest, the same as the people who live in Washington. Mrs. VAN WINKLE. You should have, if for no other reason than that it is the Capital of the Nation. Mr. BLANTON. Yes; because it is the Capital of the Nation. Mrs. VAN WINKLE. Occasionally. Mr. BLANTON. Some few Texas girls, just like the girls of Illinois, get wayward sometimes? Mr. RATHBONE. Of course, it is not always possible to say just who belongs in the District and who belong outside, I presume? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. That is true. Mr. RATHBONE. It is just a question of the length of time they have been here? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. Exactly. On the commissioners' letterMr. REID. Do you mean to tell me you have over 3,000 wayward girls in the city? Mrs. VAN WINKLE. Boys, girls, and adult women that were handled-over 3,000 came through the House of Detention alone, and we had others that were warned and that we took cognizance of without taking any kind of legal action or interrupting their procedure. Mr. REID. That you stand between them and ruin. Mrs. VAN WINKLE. We do inspect all places of public recreation, and when we sometimes find them where they ought not to be we do that. We made 9,070 inspections last year with nothing else in mind than to remove young persons from evil surroundings. Mr. GIBSON. I would suggest, Mr. Chairman, that we proceed in sort of an orderly way in the consideration of this bill, and have Mrs. Van Winkle tell us what the bill seeks to accomplish, and what the laws are in other cities. Mr. RATHBONE. I was just going to ask that question myself, how this bill compares with the laws in other cities. Mr. REID. I, too, want to proceed in order. But when I want to ask a question, as a member of this committee, I certainly ought to be able to do so at an appropriate time. If you want the bill cut and dried, go ahead, so far as I am concerned. Mrs. VAN WINKLE. If the gentleman will permit, I should like to answer the commissioners' letter; and then I have a lawyer with me who can present the bill very much better than I can, and who is here from the District Social Hygiene Association. I believe that he will give you the answer. The commissioners' letter indicates that we are already established in some form or other, and that rules regulating our procedure appear in the Manual of the Police Department. That is true, gentlemen, but those rules can be changed, just as Mr. Blanton indicated. The commissioners also indicated that the bureau is safe enough as it is. But there have been at least two occasions when the bureau was not safe. The struggle for existence takes about one-half the time of the women; instead of being able to give 100 per cent service for the money, we are constantly struggling against currents. And then it would also tend to clear the minds of a lot of people in the District of Columbia if they knew that we were in a safe position legally. Most of the bureaus in other cities have some legal status. In Detroit the bureau exists through charter. In Wisconsin and in Massachusetts the woman's police bureau exists through act of the legislature. In Massachusetts Mr. Coolidge himself signed the bill which established the policewomen in the State. I was present in Milwaukee, Wis., two and a half years ago when the Governor of Wisconsin signed the bill establishing the policewomen's service in that State. In Washington we happen to be in a very anomalous situation, where we can get action only from you gentlemen, and therefore we have to trouble you and take up your valuable time. With your permission, I will ask Mr. Worthington to speak. He represents the social hygiene associations. STATEMENT OF MR. GEORGE E. WORTHINGTON, REPRESENTING SOCIAL HYGIENE SOCIETY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND AMERICAN SOCIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATION, NEW YORK CITY Mr. RATHBONE. Please state your full name, address, and whom you represent. Mr. WORTHINGTON. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, my name is George E. Worthington, representing the American Social Hygiene Association, 370 Seventh Avenue, New York City; and the Social Hygiene Society of the District of Columbia, Washington, D. C. Mr. REID. Have you a Washington office? Mr. WORTHINGTON. We have not a Washington office, but the local society in the District of Columbia is our representative. The American Social Hygiene Association is a national organization with members in all the States. One of our important purposes is the suppression of commercialized prostitution. That is also one of the purposes of the District society, which is one of the cooperating agencies of the American Social Hygiene Association. We have observed Mr. REID. What I was trying to get at was, do you live here yourself? Mr. WORTHINGON. No; I live in New York City. Mr. WORTHINGON. I am just down here on this bill; and I have a letter here from the District society, inclosing a copy of their resolution with reference to the bill and requesting me to appear for them also, as well as for the American Social Hygiene Association. I will offer this letter to the chairman (handing paper to the chairman). I was starting to say, one of the important purposes of the American Social Hygiene Association and the District society is the repression of commercialized prostitution. We have followed the trends in that regard throughout the country. We have followed the trends in police administration, especially with reference to commercialized prostitution. It is our belief that one of the most important ways of accomplishing our ultimate aim in the suppression |