Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-10
MIR BEACH'S TRIP
Police Superintendent Tells How
 They Do Things in Detroit.

Superintendent Beach or the po-| lice department is chock full of val uable information picked up at the big meeting of heads of police de- partments at Detroit, but what he. takes most interest in telling is an incident that occurred in promi- nent restaurant in broad daylight. Henry Curran, chief of the police department at Nashville, Tenn, walked into the place and ordered a luncheon. He took seat at the table and while there respectable appearing colored man came in and sat down beside him. The Nash vile officer looked at the colored man and then asked him What Tn h-l he was after?' to which the gentleman of color replied that he had dropped in to get something to eat. The next thing the crowd knew Chief Curran had smashed the colored man one in the face and sent him sprawling to the floor. The colored man acted as if he felt Ike tearing into the officer, but he finally went out and contented him. self with trying to get the prosecut- ing officer to issue warrant for the southerner, but the prosecutor was too busy, and by the time a federal officer had been looked up Curran was not to be found. This illus trates to what extent the race feel ing still exists in Dixie Land. II IS too bad that this should be so, but like other things of the kind it will die out in time.
 Among the practical things thai came to the notice of MT Beach was the discussion regarding play grounds for children and the neces- sity of school training which will lead the small boy to see that the police officer is his friend, not his enemy as the average youth sup poses. MT Beach has some ideas upon this matter himself and has given out interviews on 1t from time to time, but nobody has taken the initiative, consequently the children of the community grow up with the notion that everybody IS down on them. What MT Beach would like to see is few play grounds in different parts of the city far enough from private resi- dences so that nobody would be In a position to complain that he was annoyed by them. He thinks 1t IS up 10 the board of aldermen to do this, not the department Of educa- ton as one might suppose at first thought. Mir Beach says that if we had the public playgrounds the police could do something to- wards maintaining order in crowded districts and the teachers In the schools would find very little trouble in educating the average pupil to observe due regard for the rights or private property, but under existing conditions it is a case of go as you please and remain where you may un- til somebody chases you away. In this way great hardship is inflicted upon owners of private property and at the same time the rising genera tion is taught vicious principle, for in too many cases when man drives boys out of his yard their parents re- gard it as a sort of abuse and strike back In various ways, often going so far as to purposely damage the prop erty of the alleged offending neigh bors and prompt their children to do likewise. Primarily. Mir Beach says. all the blame for the conduct of youngsters rests with the parents. but So long as we are bound. to have too many who take no interest in the moral training of their little ones, it Is plainly the duty of the municipal ity to step in and do something. MI Beach believes that fathers and moth CTS who allow their children to re- main on the streets nights until they feel like going home are doing a great wrong not only to those under their charge, but also to society.