The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-11
CHIEFS LISTEN TO
ABLE ADDRESSES ON
DUTIES OF POLICE
Kohler of Cleveland Describes
His Famous Golden
Rule" System
TAYLOR TALKS OF THE
PHILADELPHIA STRIKE
Downey of Detroit Describes What Is
Regarded as Best Organized Police
Force In Country-Other Able
Papers Are Presented

The International Association of Police
Chiefs went into the study of criminal
problems-the problems of people and
communicated afternoon, and
listened to addresses by the best author
tiles on subjects which are interesting
to the general public.
The climax was reached when Chief
Fred Kohler of Cleveland, he of the
Golden Rule fame, outlined his new and
entirely original scheme for the ideal
treatment for reformation of those con-
victed of crime.
Maj. Richard Sylvester called the meet
ing to order at 2:30 p. m. and in a few
brief words announced that he consid-
ered it high time that the chiefs as an
organization begin actively to. take a hand
in securing adequate and uniform police
legislation in all the states of the union.
He then appointed national legislative
committee, as follows: Alabama, Chief
Bodeker; Arkansas, Chief Mcmahon;
California, Chief Martin; Connecticut,
Chief Cowles; Delaware, Chief Black;
Florida, Chief Vincent; Georgia, Chief
jennings; Illinois, Chief Purdy; Indiana,
Chief Hyland; Kansas, Chief Taylor;
Kentucky, Chief Singey Louisiana, Chief
Reynolds; Maryland, Chief Farnan;
Massachusetts,, Chief Corey; Michigan,
Chief Downey; Minnesota, Chief Corris-
ton; Mississippi, Chief Groome; Missouri,
Chief Young; Nebraska, Chief Donahue;
New Hampshire, Chief Healey; New Jer-
sey Chief Kelly New York, Chief Quig-
ley; North Carolina, Chief Mullen; Ohio,
Chief Knapp Pennsylvania, Chief Day;
Rhode Island, Chief Egan; Tennessee.
Chief Curren; Texas, Chief Smith; Utah,
Chief Browning; Virginia, Chief Kizer;
Washington, Chief Sullivan; West Vir-
ginia. Chief Hastings; Wisconsin, Chief
Weber.
Mayor O'Brien Warmly Received
During the afternoon Mayor Frank P.
o'Erien was received with applause by
the chiefs and extended to them cor
6ial welcome. hoping that their meeting
would be both pleasant and profitable.
He paid high tribute to the Birming-
ham police force.
1--WE in Birmingham have a clearing
house of crime. the dumping ground of
the convict camps. Few cities have a
greater task, but Birmingham Is proud OF
her nolice force. I have. never had any
thing to do with men of more courage
and brains"
KOhIer's Speech a Feature
Chief Kohler carried his Golden Rule
system even farther than the handling
ot misdemeanors, which has worked so
well In Cleveland, and pictured an ideal
system of reforming the felton, which
means a revolution in the present prac-
tice.
He reaches the conclusion that no hui
man being. whatever his crime, should
be sentenced to a definite term in prison;
that no murderer should be hanged, but
that when found guilty he should be
bsnished from society and imprisoned In
an Industrial educational institution,
where he would remain until, in court
of rehabilitation, he could prove that he
had become a new man, fit to resume the
duties Of citizenship.
He declared that a man should no more
be released from jail until he Is abso-
lutely cured than an insane person should
leave an asylum after set time, whether
sane or not.
Mr.. Kohler's Golden Rule policy, as
adopted in Cleveland. has made him ia
NOUS throughout the world, and if this
advance step proves as popular 1t will
begin a new era in the handling of GRIM
inal problems.
In Cleveland the man charged with a
n.isdemeanor seldom gets before the
Judge, but is put under the golden rule
by the police department. and only after
repeated lawbreaking is he put under ar
rest. Chief Kohler seeks to reduce the
number of arrests, and thinks that his
best record will be during the year when
the least number of names appear on
the docket. Among other things he
said
"Mr. President, Brother Chiefs, Ladies
and Gentlemen
I-"During the years 1908, 1909 and 1870 in
which we have applied our common sense
or so-called golden rule policy of making
or not making arrests In Cleveland, we
have established what Is conceded to be
a worldwide precedent In handling first
and minor Offenders against the laws and
ordinances. and the relentless prosecution
of habitual offenders and confirmed Grim
inais I'VE have. during that time. re-