Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-15
Representative Speaks on
Crime in Washington.
POLICE FORCE INADEQUATE
Tennesseean Declares Officer Is
Needed on Every Corner.
PUTS BLAME ON SALOONS
Says City Is Infested With Idle
Criminals, Who Are Responsible
for Present Conditions.

The charge that a reign of ter
ror exists in Washington was
made in the House of Representa-
tives TODAY by Mr.. Sims of Ten
nessee. He referred to the rob-
berry last night in front OF the
British embassy. spoke Of the in
adequacy of the police force, and
said that although there were with
in quick call by telephone regi-
ment of cavalry and regiment OF
marines, their services had not
been enlisted to run down the
The existence OF what he termed "A
text taken today by Representative Sims
of Tennessee. when he secured ten min
utes' time. during consideration in the
House of the legislative appropriation BILL
1t was Mr.. Sims who several weeks ago
urged that the local police force be in
creased by one hundred men on the
ground that women were afraid to so out
after dark.
I'D Ills speech tOOdy olihs, ophS~
red by the robbery last night on Con-
necticut avenue. decla1 ed that not one
hundred men. nor two hundred men. could
put a stop to the National Capitals reign
Of terror. He declared that Washington
already had all varieties and species o.
policemen, including regular. park. Capi.
tol. crossing and special. and was bound
ed on the west by cavalry. on the south
by artillery and on the east by marines.
A Helpless City.
ANY one would Think he declared.
that this aTmed force. every bit OF
which is within easy telephone call. would
be sufficient to protect Washington from
almost anything. And yet the city is abb
soluteiy helpless before the conditions OF
this reign Of terror. What are We going
to do about it?'
Chairman Tawney of the appropriations
committee inquired whether MY. Sims
inadequate or just merely incompetent.
Listen. and before I get through you'll
find out rejoined Mr.. Sims. without
diverting the current Of his remarks.
Close the saloons he cried. 'and
crime will decrease with startling rapid.
ity."
He argued that the segregation OF the
lower classes in certain sections of the
city. where low dives. gin mills and grog-
geries did a land-ofiice business. was re-
sponsble in large measure for the sort OF
crimes that have contributed to bring
about the present conditions. which he
again referred to as "a reign of terror
Il don't believe it is possible to prevent
tions' said Mr.. Sims. with less than
one policeman on every corner. These
assaults are not committed by professional
The professional pickpocket
robs, but does not injure his victim except
in rare instances, and then not through a
fiendish and brutal desire to cause pain
and to see blood flow. But the class of
negroes who have caused Washingtons
reign Of terror almost invariably commit
a brutal assault upon the victim. and
usually the victim is woman
What Is Congress Going to Do
Again Mr.. Sims demanded TO know
what Congress was going to do about il.
and answered his own question by stating
that the only remedy was to close the sa-
looms.
An addition to the local police force OF
one hundred men might serve to prevent
some of these crimes. but II could not pos
sibly prevent all. he declared. THE negro
thug who lays in wait for an unprotected
and defen seless woman is always on the
watch. as well. for policeman. And
when he commits the assault the victim Is
usually rtnOtTco uHtOiSIlous. diio lux
crime is ended SO quickly that there is not
only no time for prevention. but no chance
of apprehending the offender.
Crime is increasing in the District at
a fearful rate, continued Mr.. Simns.
And what is more. this increase cannot
be accounted for by the increase I'M pop
uation. although, to be sure. there has
been an increase in the population and
none in the police force. But there was
an increase OF 3 200 arrests I'm the District
of Columbia last year. and. although the
negro population of the District is only
appro x ina tely one-third of the white. the
arrests of negroes for disorderly conduct
In the past year outnumber the white by
two to one.
Due to Criminal Glass.
The trouble is a low class Of idle crim-
inals is coming here to Washington and
hanging around the saloons, where they
get filled with vile compounds which
they purchase for 15 and o5 cents a pint
And the segregation of the lower element
i'm this city accelerates this condition.
stop the blood of innocent females
from flowing said the Tennesseean, in
conclusion. CLOSE the saloons. For. IL
you wish this National capital to be a
model il must not only be a model city
but morally as well. Close
the saloons and crime will decrease and
improve ia every possible way"
MAINE MEMORIAL DAY.