The Washington herald., 1908-02-20
URGES MORE POLICE
Vagrancy Law Is Not Cure
all, Says Mcfarland.
ASKS FOR BOTH REMEDIES
Commissioners Declares Strengthen
ing of Statute WOuId AutOmaticnI-
ly Demand Increase OF Force for
Proper OperatiOn-One Important
Clause of Present Law InvaIidated

AT least 100 additional policemen. as
well as more law, are required by the po-
lice department TO meet the requirements
Of the present situation" said Commits
sioner Macfarland yesterday in talking
Of the hoid-ups and the proposed amend
ment to the vagrant law of the District.
Congress should strengthen the va
grancy law, as the Commissioners have
heretofore recommended, to meet the ju-
dicial decisions" said Mr.. Macfarland.
1T is no. true that we have no vagrant
law. nor is it true that II the vagrant law
We're properly strengthened we would not
need additional policemen. The stronger
and more comprehensive the law, the
more we shall need the additional police
men TO enforce il"
1t is the opinion Of Mr. Macfarland that
the vagrant law needs strengthening more
to meet the decisions of the Police Court
than for any other reason
Police Force Arrests Many.
THE police department has done its
duty in enforcing the law as il stands"
said the Commissioner. $50 far as the
number Of policemen and the decisions OF
the Police Court would admit for It ar
rested last year 1,755 persons who came
under the Police Court definition of va
grancy, which is not so broad as the
terms of the law.
THAT part Of the act Of July s. 1895,
which covers this case. provides that all
vagrants all idle and disorderly persons,
persons Of evil life OF evil fame persons
who have no visible means Of support,
persons repeatedly drunk in or about any
public places. persons repeatedly lettering
In or about tippling- houses. all suspicious
persons. shall, upon conviction thereof.
be fined not TO exceed sac. or shall be
required to enter into security for their
good behavior for period OF six months.
The Court Of Appeals. in 1900 held
that the phrase all suspicious persons
was unconstitutional and could not be
enforced.
Asked Better LAW.
The Commissioners Immediately asked
Congress to enact comprehensive def
milton OF suspicious persons but the re-
quest has not yet been granted. There
fore the police cannot arrest those whom
they know TO be suspicious persons ex-
cept for a new offense. Although the
rest Of the language Of the paragraph
held TO be constitutional by the Court OF
Appeals, seems TO cover all the other
possible cases Of vagrancy, the superin-
tendent Of police informs me that me
police court decisions have narrowed the
application OF the word so that cases
can be made successfully only where the
accused combines more than two Of the
characters described.
This needs further definition. which
the Commissioners have formerly recon-
mended, and the corporation counsel has
been redrafting for this session OF Con-
gress.
Meanwhile, the police department has
done what II could under the paragraph
in question, arresting besideS the /. 10
vagrants. 442 habitually drunken persons.
and 9.735 persons for diSOrdeNy conduct
during the past year. But the depart
ment needs at least 100 additional police
men. as well as more law. to meet the
situation