such. These are the conditions which perforce colored the work of A. P. L. in New Orleans. They do not reflect the average community life of that city in any ordinary sense of the word, although many of the cases most valued by the Division itself have had to do with that manner of work.
For instance, the vice bureau apprehended two young women under Section 13 of the Conscription Act. Brought before the U. S. Commissioner, they were released upon their personal recognizance, but failed to appear on the next morning. Later they were located in Houston, Texas, and brought back to New Orleans. They were not kicked down. They found homes at the "Amproleague Farm."
Matters did not go so gently in the vice operations so far as they had to do with the older and more persistent offenders. There were raids on some of the more notorious resorts, and several of them closed their doors entirely. There was a general cleaning up in New Orleans which was good for the city whether or not it remained a center of military activities.
A common practice of New Orleans taxicab drivers was to meet all trains coming in from the cantonments and to offer the sights of the city, liquor and taxicab included, to any enlisted man for a net sum varying from five to ten dollars. The League practically wiped out this pernicious practice by putting on the trains A. P. L. men in uniform as soldiers. When they got off the train and were thus accosted by taxicab drivers, they had all the evidence which was necessary. The taxicab practice was seriously interfered with.
A neighboring city was alleged to have examined incorrectly before its draft board a certain young man, giving him a classification to which he was not entitled. Investigation was set on foot by the A. P. L., who uncovered the fact that the man's father conducted a sanitarium patronized by drug and liquor patients. He had treated several members of the board in his sanitarium, and had likewise had the Federal district judge as a patient, as well as several other influential citizens of the community. Thus, having rather confidential information, A. P. L. had very little difficulty in framing up its case.
