Chicago Tribune
THRASHER GOES EAST TO
CONFER ON CITY CLEANUP
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Anti-Vice Worker is Called to Capital to Tell of Conditions.
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Further evidence that the government is contemplating a general liquor and vice clean-up in Chicago as far as they touch the military establishment was seen last night in the departure of Samuel P. Thrasher, director of the Committee of Fifteen, for Washington.
Beyond stating that he had been called to the national capital to discuss "general Chicago conditions," Mr. Thrasher declined to state the purpose of his trip.
Carries Voluminous Data
Mr. Thrasher carried with him a formidable appearing packet of data, presumably copies of vice reports which his investigators have made in and near Chicago.
From persons who have been in close touch with recent activities of the committee which Mr. Thrasher directs it was learned that lately his staff of investigators have been reporting upon many special bar permit dances held in Chicago. Many soldiers and sailors have been given intoxicants at these dances in defiance of military orders.
One of the activities of the Fosdick commission representatives, who now are working in Chicago and vicinity, is said to be the checking up of reports of Chicago organizations on alleged violations of federal military orders governing saloon and vice conditions.
Saloons in Danger
Church representatives who talked with Secretary of the Navy Daniels during his recent visit to Chicago state that the secretary was shocked at the reported Chicago conditions. They gathered from his comments that if rigid enforcement of the laws was not started at once hundreds of Chicago saloons would be put out of business by federal order.
In the letter sent to the city council by Secretary Daniels last Friday the reform representatives see the government’s final warning to the city authorities. The secretary specifically asked that the special bar permit ordinance be repealed. He made no threat of saloon closing if the council declined to follow his request.
