New-York tribune., 1912-12-30
RABBI WISE ATTACKS
GAYN0R AND WALDO
Says Head Of the Police De-
partment Is No Head
at All.
CALLS FORCE INEFFICIENT
Members Do Not Know
Whether to Enforce Law or
Comply with "Mayoral
Whims," He Declares.

Rabbi Stephen s. Wise bitterly at
tackled both the Mayor and Police Com
missioner Waldo in his sermon, "A New
Years Vision of a New City" In Car.
negie Hall yesterday morning, de-
claring that Mayor Gaynor abused
other public officials and retained in
office men who were incompetent and
guilty Of felonious courses. OF Com
missioner Waldo he said: Judging by
his words and works. he is men,
acingly incompetent and incorriglbly
stupid creature"
The hall used for the Free Synagogue
was crowded, I'D more than half Of
the audience were women. DR.. Wise
seemed to feel very keenly every word
Of his sermon. He said that the affairs
OF the city should be discussed, above
all places, in the pulpit, though on the
morrow "the city's head shall attack
your work and mine. Though unclean
lips pour torrents of venomous abuse
against this pulpit, 1t shall continue to
speak the truth" DR.. Wise continued:
One of the most unfortunate things In
the present administration of the city has
been the unwilllngness of officials, follow
ing the example OF their head, 70 endure
any criticism. however temperate and JUS
titled and well meant. Seeing that the
head OF the present administration gained
the office which he now occupies in very
large art through wild attack upon The
heal of the Police Department OF the last
administration, who, one Is sorry TO note.
speak IL has been peculiarly unbecoming
for this administration TO be pettshly,
when not bitterly. reSentful OF criticism.
When resentment OF criticism gives rise
not only to abuse OF other public officials
who are doing their duty in brave and
manful fashion but to the attempt to
;hwart them in the exercise OF their sworn
duties, End when. moreover ~ moves
oity's head TO retain in office men wo.
fully incompetent, as well as TO oefend
others subsequently adjudged guilty Of
felonious courses, il Is time 10 deal IN
serious fashion with this inhospitslity 10
every Judgment touching the administra-
ton that is not fattering.
DR.. Wise said that he did not believe
the Police Department was rotte- or
criminal. but lamentably inefficient, be.
cause its members did not know
whether to enforce the law or limit
themselves to compliance with May
oral whims." Commissioner Waldo he
said, was kept in office lest he be
thrown TO the wolves, though in the
mean time the life OF the city may be
thrown to the dogs" He said OF dis
honest policemen, Every one but the
Police Commissioner knows that they
are crooked and corrupt" and added
THE present head OF the Police De-
partment is no head at ALL" He added:
Following the wise example OF such
cities as Chicago and Minneapolis we
/ ought to have vice commission consul
tuted not OF faddists and hobby riders,
/ but of earnest men and women. VINO shall i,dii
/ make a dligent and fearless investigation
| OF the problems Of the social vice. un-
| hampered by city heads and police de-
! partments. and report the results 10 tne
/ citizenship OF New York. We purport 70
repress and we partially segregste.
! Hopelessly, we muddle about IN sucn
way as to pollute the political ne OF the
| city, TO corrupt the guardians OF law anu
order, and 10 bring new burden OF
| hardship and odium upon group Oh per-
| SONS 10 W AOst NitAN4ANhtANs., -
misery OF a regulation that does noI
regulate and OF licensing that does not
J license. -
Nearly twenty years ago noble re-
! ligious teacher of New York FOUND u
needful to go down into the depths OK
! the city's life in order 20 render 10 the
city a high and lasting service. twenty
wears after, the Mayor or the city, IN re-
plying TO certain unansWeraOle structures
made upon him By this teacher, speaks
OF the latter as going into the houses OIL
sin i'm disguise and feastinS his eyes upon
/ the nakedness Of the inmates. Nay noI
hope that this pulpit speaks TOT the mora. 70.
sense OF New York I'm saving to-oas
that any man who levels THIS cha!ee
AGAINST DR. Parkhurst, whether he De tne
| Mayor Of New York or the West cres-
ture of the clty's streets. has spoken
foul and false word The Mayor OF ";
city is merely your mouthpiece, ne VII.
not dare long TO say and do the thIss
which will not meet with your accept
ance If In the name OF outward oruer
and decency he tolerateS the most n- nlto.-
erable of civic conditions, II IS becaI5e
he imagines that your own ideais or, AZ
low. because he assumes that your own o,
| standards, too, have been corrupted. ~
this business you cannot TX Tespohsi'
bility; We must shoulder II toseIhe,' .. ~
one man can long hurt New lorh' DO, 90,
Mayors. happily, 20 as they come DI'
all OF ,ou together can hurt New lorh,
for yoi are its citizenship, you are ">
life.