New-York tribune., 1906-05-13
M'ADOO WRITES BOOK.
POLICE THE SUBJECT.
Er- Commissioner Speaks Plainly
but Without iSensationalism.

Making OF his experience as Police Commis-
sioner OF this city for two years william McAooo
has written book on police metnoas whlcn IS 20
he published By Harper g. Bros. this week. under
the title .Csuarding a Great City" He has put
into the book many serious reflections OF his own
regarding duties OF the police force ana ts of-
cals and about the duty OF the public in support
ino reform methods There are sensational
revelations although he speaks plainly about con-
dtions OF vice and police protection OF certain pro-
moteTs Of II.
The book VIII impress many readers with the
idea that Mr. AcAdoo was a keen observer Of hu-
man nature while he in Office. He hints In
some parts OF the book at limitations, due %
political influences, which prevented him from
carrying out important police reforms. and ne
gives advice intended for the guidance OF
future heads of the Police Department which mas
the ring OF sincerity.
Early in the book Mr.. McAdoo acknowledges tne
benefit he received from newspaper men, who gave
information and advice to him at the beginning OF
his administration. and he declares that his rela-
tons with the reporters throughout his term were
beneficial 20 him. He says:
If Commissioner is thoroughly independent Of
everybody, from the Mayor down and up, and mas
ny os the ne service speak Eh
degree of franlness on any subject appertaning TO
tool with string tied to his leg from the City
daad a or to saT poeS2h nyhn Or Whs he Says
he viii be asked TO unsay Tomorrow, and what ne
promised to do on Monday ne viii have to une0 & Oa
Tuesday. He win not be sure II II ne threatens S s
he viii have TO face about pelted by questions
from the press which he cannot answer.
PRESS SHOULD ENCOURAGE HONESTY.
II all the newspapers of New York should to-
lions in New York by encouraging the honest men
on the force, by demanding proper and lasting re-
f0si an8 impartial discussiOn Of police n
istration by holding the mayor as Wen as t9 E
for whatever is wrong, new era would have been
Sify SSSoh 10 the history q D0'''' "
Mr. McAdoo declares his belief that a police
commissioner should have higher pay and longer
tenure Of office to be effective official
The difficulties of enforcing discipline among po-
lcemen are pointed out in one chapter OF the book.
partly as follows:
IN sn9 SGe Semote from their homes subject at all
times TO personal scrutiny and superVislon,, Per
ally, and widely separated and dvested Of all 20
tical power as citizens the s9p1eeT @ oh the ee poee NAM
while q quasi soldier, is citizen, with a nome,
sens in its political affairs.
court-martial methods at once begets an opposition
of nearly ten thousand citizens on the police force.
each one OF whom is able to muster possibly ten
other votes, In all one hundred thousand voters
dangerous one. but in dealing with this subject
SHOULD look the fa9t9 IN b the Pocs IaSe ne1 TS
associations IN all the grades which are supposed
lent P pOses E as but beneVolenoe in this case closely
allied 70 protection and protection means the guard
all others These agents are potent for good or evil
ROOSEVELT REvERED BY POLICE.
The cOmmissiOneF is Obliged to have the conf, 4fo
deDSe respect and to some S efs1I g ba at m ST. ths t
best results from them. II he !s arbitrary. UNJUST
Tious ignorance Of Police affairs the officers and
men win give him Just his pound Of fesh so far as
he can take It and absolutely nothing more.
commander In chief who is hated and desPised will
n
harshness or severity, provided the men under him
meet 0 the % Situation President Roosevelt as Com
missioner strict, and good disciplinarian. but
the police to this day.
Something like a confession that he knew the
three-platoon system was wrong, but that he was
obliged to keep It In operation for political rea-
sons. Is the following:
In the campaign which preceded the hrst election
of the present Mayor, and In which he ran as a
partisan pledged to the execution OF the platform
form clause in answer to what was believed to be
was known as the three-platoo or intersection
system The Mayor Of the city was pledged TO re-
ofRce oce adod t &c not deem n Il 10
enter into a discussion In this book OF the two
systems
Mr. McAdoo does not agree with his successor
apparently in the theory that discipline be
enforced among the police by heavy fines. He says
that If policeman is 20 be fined for permitting
vice to flourish under his nose. he should be sum
maFily dismissed. but he adds:
This policy would result in the dismissal of the
whole police force.
Arguing for a longer tenure Of Office for the
Police Commissioner Mr.. McAdOo says:
A Police Commissioner with such tenure and
eecurity in his office need pay attention what
ever to the little uttering talks Of the scandal
Inongers and rumor venders who now rOost ike
Police headquarters There is no doubt what
ever in my mind that with this reform great mass
force and that It would be especially welcomed by
the honest and faithful men OF the force.
BADGE OF HONOR TO PAY TRIBUTE.
Talking about the difficulty Of stopping police
protection Of vice. Mr.. McAdoo sayE:
1t IS actually among certain classes, a badge Of
honor 10 pay this tribute money to those who rep
resent the law or to the politicians who really 90.
Mr.. McAdoo declares that Chinatown is a dis
grace to the city and should be wiped out COM
pletely He says also;
ing gTaft from Chinatown. Gin Sang keeps q little
gambling place in the basement, hands up his pro-
lection rent 10 another Chnaman and he in turn
II over 10 the white collector, possibly outsider
ana there It disappears completely II 1t were
cropped in midocean. It has been handed up like
q bucket Of water at a village fire, but one
yet has succeeded in freeing the chain. In this
connection let be said that in the world Of graft
there is slang name for the Commissioner and
IN the "olden days" the "collectee" would ask the
collector Il a certain nicknamed one was Interested
A NOD and a smile were reassuFlng
At the end Of the book Mr 0EcAdoo hints that
vigorously against booksellers and grafters and he
adds:
Until Mayor can be found who has the courage
ana conviction to place the fearless enforcement Of
the law and the impartial administration Of justice
which guardian.