WOMEN POLICE.

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 279, 18 September 1918, Page 1

WOMEN POLICE.

Some time ago a deputation, representing various women’s societies, waited upon the Minister for Justice, lion. T. M. Wilford, asking for the ap|H>intmcnt of women police, women jurors, and women Magistrates. The Minister definitely refused to appoint them. For a man holding so responsible a position, he showed only the most superficial knowledge of the subject, and wrenching words of Miss Darner Dawson’s from their context conveyed quite a wrong impression of her meaning. The document printed below will give Miss Dawson s own report of her women police. Two ladies from Taranaki, moved by the evils they saw rife, took up work in the London rt <*tto help our boys. The first approached (General Richardson, who told them everything possible was being done. They replied that the ir suggestion, an appeal personally to the boys by New Zealand women, was not being tried. The General turned to the do< tor accompanying him, and asked what he thought about it, and the medico replied : “Well, I think th“ ladies have something in their favour, and it their plan is to ive the- personal tone h to these boys, well, I think it is worth trying ' The General then said: ‘‘Ladies, I am in n»»d of help, effectual help, but 1 don’t think you can do anything, but in order to convince yourselves, l that one of you go to London and try.” The ladies submitted this repoit to the General:

(Copy.) WOMKN POUCH SKKVICK. Headquarters, b, Kccleston Square, S.W .1., 2bth March, iqiS. Dear Mrs McHugh,—l herewith send you a copy of the report. I would ask you to submit the following points to your General. Both in speaking and writing, and in various reports submitted to the authorities, 1 have urged the appointment of a for e of women police in London, in vaiious boroughs where large camps are situated, and in other camp areas, in order that jmlire women should deal with problems such as drunkenness, pilfering, immoiality, etc., which ts the natural outcome of large bodies of strange men imported into areas where there have always been a prepondering number of women. We have claimed that the work of women police would have prevented a great deal of the trouble which has resulted from th° influx of large numbers of soldiery. Our representations have been favourably received by the English Y.M.C.A., by the War Office, and by the Home Office. I submitted a memorandum to Lord Derby, which was well received, and handl'd on in the House of Commons. I have had interviews with the ex Home Secretarv, Mr Herbert Samuel, with Sir Alfred Keogh, then commanding the R.A.M.C., with Sir Arthur Yapp, head of the English Y.M.C.A. All tlvse officials have expressed their interest and belief in the efficacy of women police, but for one reason or 'another the appointment of women police on a large scale has not been achieved. Police women are at present employed by private effort in five parts of the Metropolitan area and in vari-

ous boroughs, and the 1 experience of these police women, which now extmds over two years, tends to show that uniformed official wome n arc* able to exercise an influence for good in the streets whicli cannot be attained by either < ivil or military police. The police women working in the* Metropolitan district naturally come across a large number of New Zealand, Canadian, Australian, and other overseas soldiers during street patrolling. They also know by sight, by name, and in many cases personally, the girls and women who are leading immoral lives, and who take money from these soldiers. It is our aim to place jtolice women in different streets which are known to us to contain a certain number of houses where constant immorality occurs. 1 hes'* houses the police and local authorities have not succeeded in < losing for various reasons. “On two occasions two men, one an Australian, the other a Canadian, appeared in the street and went to a certain houv* suspected to be used for immoral purposes. I stopped the soldier and aske d him if he knew anyone in the house and if he were lodging there. On each occasion the soldiers answered in the negative. I was able to persuade both of them to leave and go back to their hostels. One of the men said that he was quite willing to give up going on the condition that I would escort him out of the street, as he was afraid of being molested by girls. I accordingly escorted him to the nearest terminus.” The police women find that the men are very easy to deal with, even when intoxicated and quarrelsome. They are very child-like fn their capac itv for being turned front one idea to an-

other. If turned away from immoral girls and houses, they are quite content to go to some other form i of amusement. The male police, both eivil and military, are only too willing and anxious to leave the dealing of such cases with the police women. The difficulty has been to prove to the police authorities in command of military and civil polio** that there is no physical danger to the police women, provided they are in uniform, are properly trained, and patrol in couples. There has never once dining the last four years been any occasion on which physical force was necessary, nor have the police women suffered any kind of physical violence. The following extract is from the report of another police woman working round the Kagle Hut: “On Thursday evening two policeman came up to inc and said, ‘You’re wanted up the road, Miss.' I said, ‘What is the matter V They replied, ‘A Canadian soldier out for trouble.’ 1 said, ‘Very well, I will come at once.’ The soldier was proceeding to make himsHf popular by attempting to tight anyone and anything, including the lamp-post. 1 got him away and safely in the hut and to bed. The policemen told me quite frankly they do not care to have any dealing with these non, adding, ‘W’c would much rather you dealt with them. Miss.’ ” This brings rive to the last subject. I find that one’s methods in dealing with these military and naval men must be rather different from th«* methods adopted with civilians. Most of these men, particularly the last draft, are very rough, untutored ba< kwoodsnien, genuine wild-west types. It would he very easy to speedily cause a disturbance. These men are quite unused to restraint of .piy k nd, are very excitable, and easily heap'd. The only argument they scent to understand is with their fists or a gun. No two men can be dealt with alike, and in some cases speaking officially is rather like talking Chinese to a very small child. I apply the method that appears to me the wisest one for each case, and hope you will approve. It is, 1 know, particularly desirable that we should never create a disturbance, or call upon th** policemen. So far 1 have kept clear of either. Rut if there is any special system you wish carried out, I will do my hest to obey.

Some of the men have bee n hero a long time, and lose no opportunity of bringing their incoming friends up to ‘‘Sister,’’ the Australian name for us. I have sometimes allowed a small liberty, such as the purchase of a fl.sg on Hag-days. This gives them great pleasure, and I afterwar s return the Hag or flower to be re-sold. It is only in this way I find that one’s in Huencr holds, and it is a general topic of conversation in the Hut, “We don’t want any Redcaps” (military police). I have put this, dear sir, at some length, as 1 am anxious you should know just how the work is going. They are a very big proposition, these men, especially in drink, but I feel that we are steadily gaining ground. If the different oranisations responsible for the control of the overseas troops would entrust us with the training and supplying of police women, 1 am confident that a very great change would speedily be noted in the state of the streets and tin* conditions of the soldier*, who frequent them. We do not claim to work miracles, but we do exercise a very large influence and control, and it does not seem to me necessary to wait for official wheels, which turn slowly, to make an official appointment. I am also sending you a copy of the first report we ever issued of our work. In this rejmrt you will see the testimonial which was given us by General Hamersley. then commanding the nth Division at Grantham in tlm early days of the war. It is a testimonial we value very much, as we were then earning <>ur spurs amid much scepticism and optimism. I would beg you to show this to your General. —I remain, yours very truly, (Sgd.) N. DAMKR DAWSON, Commandant. W’.P.S. The ladies went and tri°d in the streets of London, and their work exceeded expectations. The following tribute was received from General Richardson, and also from Y.M.C.A. Secretaries, who had means of knowing what was done: - (Copy.) I leadquarters, N.Z.K.F., 31, Bloomsbury Square, W.C. 1, March 30th, 1918. Dear Mrs McHugh, I am very pleased with the results of your work, which have far exceeded my expectations. If only on*’ man per week ran be saved, your efforts would be justified I would rather spend £IOOO on moral methods of dealing

with the V.D. than £\ on preventive methods; but, unfortunately, we have to adopt both methods. However, your efforts are most valuable, and have my entire support, but 1 think you should work under Mr Hughes, Y.M.C.A., although you may cooperate with any other organisation. Wishing you continued success.--Yours sincerely, (Sgd.) GF.O. S. RICHARDSON, Brig, -(ieneral. Kagle Hut, Y.M.C.A., Strand, London, W.C. 1. Mi ss Ballantyne, j(>, Upper Bedford Place, W.C., 1. Dear Miss Ballantyne, Some days ago you were talking with me regarding the Women Police Service. They have been rendering service to Kagle Hut during th»* past six weeks, and have been doing excellent work. They have been instrumental in keeping objectionable women away from the immediate vicinity of the Hut, and many soldiers und°r the influence of liquor have been brought to us and saved from the hands of those who prey upon them. The women of the corps are women of refinement and ability, and following our month’s trial of the work, have decided unanimously to continue their service. We very heartily commend their work to other Huts. — Sincerely yours, W. F. LANG DON (per MAY.), , General Secretary. (Copy.) IXTKRNATIONAL Y.M.C.A. HOSPITALITY LEAGUE. 18, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C. 2, March 28th, 1918. Dear Mrs McHugh, With reference to our recent conversations on the proposal for you and Miss Ballantine to devote your time to work anion,: New Zealand boys <>n leave in London, I wish to assure you. or behalf of the Executive Committee of the above League, that we are not only interested in the scheme, but heartily enthusiastic in wishing to support you. We have agreed with the N.Z.C.A. that should vour General so desire it t we are willing for you both to work under our auspices, and we will help you in every way possible. W’e are proposing to the various Associations which we represent that they also should enlist the services of lady workers like yourselves, and that we should organise a definite department of women street jntrols

We arc prepared to open a social room and bear all the current expense of running the same, in each area where a staff of women patrols are working, which will act as a base from whic h you can operate. As you are aware, already we are doing this work with men street patrols, but we are convinced that there is a great work which only women like yourselves can do, and we are anxious to build up this new department. Wishing you cv'rv success, and assuring you of our heartiest cooperation if it be tound possible for you to remain here to continue the work. Believe me, yours sincerely, (Sgd.) CYRIL BAIN, Organising Secretary. We ask our read rs who is most likely to know : the men who come in daily contact with these women, and know how efficiently they are doing their work, or the Minister of Justice in a Dominion so backward that it has no police woman in it ? The late Minister for Justice, Sir James Allen, told a deputation who approached him on this question that he had sought information as to the work of women police from (treat Britain and America, and the'replies he got were that they w°re doing eminently satisfactory work. The present Minister of Justice told the deputation that he knew nothing of that report. Pity such information should be pigeon-holed by one Minister and not available to his successor. Mr W’ilford has missed a great opportunity. He might have been looked upon by posterity as the far-seeing Minister who instituted a great reform. But he was unable to rise to such a height. lie may delay, but cannot stop this reform. He is an up-to-date Mrs Partington, trying to stop the onrush of the mighty Atlantic billows with a tiny mop. When the first locomotive was running its trial trip, George Stevenson was asked what would happen if a cow got on the railway line before the advancing train The great man replied that it would he bad “for the coo.’’ It will always he bad for men, even Cabinet Ministers, to get in the way of the advancing car of Womens Freedom, the Freedom to do whatever she can do well.