A CLEAN UP.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18571, 22 December 1925, Page 13

A CLEAN UP.

VICE IN NEW YORK. SUPPRESSION CAMPAIGN. FATE OF ROME IMPENDS. (BY CABLE—PItESS ASSOCIATIOS—COPYRIGHT.) IAL'STttALIAK ASJ> X.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) NEW YORK, December 20. Police-Commissioner Enrighfc has ordered every police official and constable to participate in a thorough investigation of tho vice conditions in the city, following an exchange of correspondence in which the Mayor-Elect, Senator J. J. Walker, charged Mr J. F. Hylans's administration with purposely ovei-loolting tho revival of unhampered gambling, prostitution, and kindred' evils, expecting thereby to leave a discreditable and unsavoury legacy to Mr Walker when ho assumes office.

Mr Walker's adherents contend that tho investigation will bo merely a political gesture, returning a clean bill of health, since tho police will investigate their own alleged laxity. A conference between Mr Walker, Governor A. E. Smith, and Judge Olvany, the Tammany Hall loader, regarding tho choice of a new Police Commissioner, is expected to include plans involving the most drastic vicecleaning in 20 years.

Mr. Walker is expected to counteract immediately tbe assumption that since ho favours tho sporting element his supervision will be lax. Furthermore, it is beJioved Governor Smith's identification with the moral clean-up might further his presidential candidacy in 1928. The Crime Wave. While the city is stirred over the vice investigation, prominent clergymen, jurists, and publicists held a meeting to consider the crime wave, its causes and cure*. Among tho causes of tho evils were designated the failure of women to do their iliii/.y under equality of suffrage, alien immigrations, improper educatioi police inadequacy, laxity of punitive authorities and over-sentimentalism in the administration of prisons, antiquated system of jurisprudence, break-ing-up of tho American homo, and Prohibition. ___ drew a parallel between Rome and New York, and averred that tho former's fate would overtake this modern Babylon unless its people return from selfishness and the lure of wealth, and cease to participate in or approve the exchange of conscience for the sordid gifts of a golden world. Poison Liquor. (STDirtr "Sun" Slavics.) KETW YOKK, December 20. Five hundred died from poison liquor this year, according to official returns covering New York Cit" and which admit that only one drink in every 50 is safe. Fifty thousand samples were analysed and 98 per cent, contained poison. All except one sample in 100 was manufactured here from denatured alcohoL Forty million gauons of the latter were used to manufacture Bootleg liquor during tho year.