The Washington times., 1908-01-25
Provides Trans.
fer of Special Cross
ing Men to Regu-
lar Force.
Addition Necessary to,
Aid Local Authorities
to Cope With In
creaSing Crime.

Provision for the addition Of dftNs
men 10 the Washington police force Is
contained in a bill, which Represen1a-
live CoudreyI a member Of.the District
Committee, will introduce in,the House.
Monday.
AIr. Coudrey IS confident thes bin wiz!
De reported fayorably by the commit
tee. especially as the COumittes- on Al
DTOpriations has gone on record that il
will not appropriate cent for the pay
Of extra policemen. The Coudrey h H.
going before the Distric1 Committ 60.
would, if favorably acted ON, get arosmd
the spirit Of economy. that exists ing the
Appropriations Committee.
The measure provides that. the special
crossing policemen, numbering nifty,
shall be transferred to the regular Fforce
and assigned to the various classes OF
pEivates now on the force.
To take the place OF the crossi-ag pO-
licemen, the bill stipulg tes the traction
companies shall employ fiagmen for tho,
crossings wherever there may be neces-
sity for such action. In this way Chei
street railway companies viii be. saved
from having TO pay the salaries on
special policemen, and the poliOe forcei
Will be enlarged. It is such al -znlarRE,
ment that the District CommissioneEsl
are now asking saying the many hold-I
ups and other outrages that. have beens
committed in Washington are due tosTae3
inadequate number OF policemen alloR ed
the District by Congress
Companies Favor It.
Gen. George II. Harries, general N an
ager Of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company, told the DTS srict
Committee at a recent public hea ring
that the special crossing pouce men
were of no account 20 the street raj hvay
companies, and that the comp, inies
would not mind their discontinuanc e, as
the companies had to pay their sal. tries.
Members of the committee took. the
view Jnat the companies should = al
lowed 10 take care of rush trah lc on
Thelr lines by means Of their oWl A en-
ployeS placed as the companies de. Hred.
Although the District COmmiss toner's
reported adversely some time a 20 on
the proposition to transfer the SpecIal
crossing policemen to the regular fOrce
MI COuQEey believes that now thew
vii accept this means of seCuri nR the
addition 10 the force which Ia ey say
has become absolutely neCesSar ~ as a
result OF the recent hold-Ups, p surders,
and purse-snatching from WOmt N.
The bill Will be referred to u Aa Com
Tnissioners for their oDiniou ne - 80,
and the committee Will act on IL! as. soon
as the Commissioners have beAn hea I'd
from IN discussingf lis bill to-day Mr,
CoudTey said:
Necessary, "fSaysfCOuArey.
q see no reason Why y1thesstreetEraIl-
way companies OF the District Of Co
lumbia should pay the salaries of po-
licemen who are. .clothedswith full police
powers, who are under the, supervision
and direction of the Commissioners ana
who protect the public at track inter
sections. In New York and other cities
any taxpayer, individual or corporation
IS entitled TO adequate pOlAce protection
ana gets IL. There would be no parti-
c;IlGr saving to the railroad companies
through the transfer OF these special
crossing policemen to the regular forca
as the companies woJlG be placed un-
.7der the necessity OF statiOning EN-
''ployes of their own at crowded inter-
seotiars, as a matter OF precaution and
economy.
while I have not had any extensive
discussion of the matter with. members
of the House. 1 have no doubt that the
TeaSOnaDleneSS OF the proposition WI
appeal to many. I shall ask that tae
District Committee give early consfdsr-
alton to my bill, for If there is q zeal
need for additional poicemen-and- the
recent series Of Outrages would seem To
indicate this to be the fact-there Is no
reason for delay. The passage of my
measure would Immediately transfer to
the local force nealy half a nundTedl in
telliEent and experienced men, and this
in addition, I have no doubt, would en-
able the authorities to cope with almost
any situation affecting the 3ublickpeace
that could possibly arise"