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Newspaper Page Text
MAYOR GAYNOR SPRINGS SURPRISE BY GOING DEEP INTO CAUSES OF NEW YORK'S VICE New York, Sept 11. Mayor Gaynor yesterday shocked the reformers of New York, the "prominent citizens," who have beeriexclaiming in horror over the graft in the police depart ment. For the mayor went beneath all the outward scum of vice, went beyond the graft in the po lice'department, went beyond the tenderloin, and, talked of, the causes of these things. And blatant reformers, and ''prominent citizens," and news papers which shout they are ".fighting the battles of the peo ple" do not like to hear anyone talk of the causes of vice and graft. The causes come too near fiome The mayor was testifying be fore the aldermanic committee in vestigating graft in the police de partment. He had insisted upon being sworn, although, the com mittee did not want to swear him. Emory R. Buckner, the young attorney for the committee, had been badgering and cross-questioning the mayor untp weari ness. ' The committee --room was crowded .with spectators. In the first few rows Were the reporters of the big newspapers of .New York, reformers and "prominent citizens." The rest were "com mon people," drawn to hear their mayor testify. Buckner wanted to know if Gaynor .was aware that saloons were evading the license law, that houses of shame were wide open in New York. Gaynor answered several ques tions sharply, and three times threatened to leave the committee room unless Buckner stuck to facts and left opinions and thoughts alone. At last he was roused by. a question from Buck ner as to his attitude toward women of the street. , "I have one policy," he said, "and that is to keep, the streets clean. But I will not permit my policemen to degrade themselves in collecting evidence by going to hotels with women.' .. Someone in the room laughed. Gaynor jumped to his feet. "This is a mournfulx thing," he shouted. "A thing to be wept over, not to be laughed at! "I could lock up the 2,000 im moral women in this town tomor row. But their places would be filled immediately by others. "We must put it in the hearts of men not to seduce women. We must put it in the hearts of the owners of big department stores and men who buy women's labor to pay them a living wage. "To pay women and girls two and .three and four and five dol lars a week and then accuse me of fostering prostitution is an out rage. "Some of the so-called reform ers now 'criticizing me "are mak ing fortunes by selling vile drugs to the girls of the East Side in or der to ensjave them. Others are ' ' f a. mMmmmmmmmjmmmmlm