Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1921-02-13 | Page 1 | Ward Opens War Against Vice in Ogden

I Neglect by Parents I Held to Blame for Shocking Condition By COMMISSIONER J. RAT WARD Superintendent of the Department of Public Safety GROSS Inattention on the part of Igden parents is responsible in great part for the shocking coses of vice we have discovered In Ogdcn. Qlr la of tender ages are permitted to Lgo out at night and wander up and (down the streets. The same situation applies to boys. And the trouhlo begins. be-gins. Wo have known for a long time thatj ll.-re wus much Immorality among the young In Ogden and have been trvlng for weeks to get to the bottom. We have sifted some matters until we have fouml really terrifying conditions. Fully 90 per cent of the boys and girls and tho men and women that tho deportment has apprehended in cases Of misconduct are diseased. We have turned over to the juvenile court one girl, whoso name is Helen, 1 r years of ago, who had Infected (many young men. This was one of tho worst cases uncovered thus far. She had been diseased since she was 1 1 years of age. The farther wo go In this vice investigation in-vestigation the more seriouM we, find It. Many homes will be affected. We are seeking to euro now what parents could have prevented. Rooming houses aro one problem and automobiles furnish another. Wo aro also going after tho soft drink parlors conducted by forolgners. I am opposed to granting any more licenses, for such places and I have Mayor I Francis back of mo. There should be some plac, besides the city jail for these young women offenders There should bo a detention deten-tion hospital for these girls, but Until We get such a place we must uso tho Jail. Another matter which adels to the complexities of the situation Is the inability in-ability to get reports on dlseaso due to vice. Neither physicians nor pa-jtlent3 pa-jtlent3 report. Thus the source remains I free to cause more and more cases.