Chicago Tribune
FEDERAL GRIP ON VICE ZONE
STRENGTHENED.
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New Department Created with Former Thrasher Aid in Control.
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Thorough investigation of vice conditions in Chicago, under federal supervision, was forecast yesterday by developments in Washington, where high government officials have been holding conferences at which the local situation has been under discussion.
Most significant of these developments was the reorganizing of the law enforcement division of the commission on training camp activities and the selection of a Chicagoan as the head of a new section. This Chicagoan is Lieut. George J. Anderson who worked with Samuel P. Thrasher of the committee of fifteen in "cleaning up" the city. The new section of which he is head is that of vice and liquor control.
Anderson Knows Chicago
Lieut. Anderson will handle the Chicago situation through the local office of the commission on training camp activities and at present has no plans of coming to Chicago. However, his familiarity with Chicago conditions means that more attention will be given to this district.
The second development was the announcement from Washington that the law enforcement division of the commission on training camp activities, headed by Maj. Bascom Johnson, will continue an investigation of Chicago conditions.
This investigation, it was made known in Chicago, has been materially aided by the turning over to government officials of a mass of information obtained by the local committee of fifteen.
Thrasher Gives Pointers.
Samuel P. Thrasher, in charge of the activities of the committee, arrived in Washington Monday and has held several conferences with officials there. He took with him, it was announced in Chicago last night all the data that his committee has gathered regarding Chicago vice and liquor sales. All of this has been turned over to the government.
In addition the government now has in its possession information which was obtained by the Juvenile Protective association and by agents of the State Council of Defense, working under the general direction of Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen, the only woman member of the state council, who is also head of the association. The Committee of Fifteen has collaborated with Mrs. Bowen in every way, it was stated by Edwin W. Sims, its secretary, last night.
Action Waits on Daniels.
Just at present the Chicago investigation seems to be waiting upon Secretary of the Navy Daniels, whose department is most directly concerned in view of the fact that the navy has the largest armed force in the Chicago jurisdiction. Mr. Daniels, Washington dispatches say, seems to be inclined to permit Chicago officials a chance to apply the remedy to the conditions of which there have been so many complaints.
He is to confer this morning with Ald. Joseph O. Costner, chairman of the home defense committee of the Chicago city council, and one of the "wet" leaders in that body. At this conference the secretary is expected to make his position known.
