SOLDIERS' PERILS IN LONDON

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3004, 15 February 1917, Page 5

SOLDIERS' PERILS IN LONDON

MENACE OF STREET VICE DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OE COMMONS (Rcc. February 14, 6.40 p.m.) London, February 13. In tho House of Commons, Sir Henry Craik called attention to the evils causod the Army by the increased incentives to vice in. London, due to the smallness of the penalties inflicted on keepers of disorderly houses.

Sir George Cave (Homo Secretary) said ho was fully alive to these evils. Many difficulties' existed to hamper drastio aotion by the police. Ho was introducing a Bill increasing tlio powers of the Magistrates, and also the penalties for offences.

Interviewed regarding soldiers' -perils in London, General Sir Francis Lloyd (commanding the London District) said that the publichouses ought not to be abused so much. Many of the publicans were playing the game. Ho regretted that lie had not the power to deal with the street harpies. He would like to see juvenile offenders oirched. "While soldiers are dying at the front we are afraid to lift our hands against the criminals who haunt our streets and prey upon men on furlough."

General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien declared that men arriving in London at night time were confronted with appalling dangers, and if they were not taken care of numbers would be lost to' the Army. The might become so great that ib would seriously interfere with the projyess.cf the war.—Aus.N.Z. Cablo Assn.

Inquiries at the agencies engaged in social work show a general agreement that baneful. influences are abroad in London streets, hut that the Tecent articles in the newspapers are calculated to convoy an erroneous impression.

Mr. W. A. Coote, secretary of tho National Vigilance Association, states that ho considers tho statements in rer gard to tbo present conditions of the streets as being a peril to Homo and colonial troops are very much exaggerated. The streets arc not so bad as hefore tho war, chiefly owing to tho absence of tho foreign element of men and women who were such a serious menace before the war. A careful investigation of tho condition of the Strand at night time did not support the statements of the newsDapers: similarly there is little ground for complaint about Victoria Street, which is tho rendezvous of the colonials.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.