Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-30
SAYSPOLGE !
OF J.. 5. ARE !: IN
GENERAL STUPID

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. Is
The police OF the United States, and
speak broadly and without reference
ito the municipal guardians of eny
particular locality, are more stupiG
than vicious" said DIR. Woods Hutch.
lnson, of New York, last night, re
garding his statement to the hygiene
congress Friday that In the present
police organization of the American
cities the public raised, presumably
for its protection, but actually for its
annoyance and discomf tort, a Frank
enstein," which presents a battling
problem.
'The average of intelligence of the
police of American cities is way be-
flow par" said DR.. Hutchinson. "'The
process of selection of the blnecoated
Representatives of the majesty of the
law is careless and inefficient The,
policemen are not degenerate, nor are
thy selected from a criminal class,
but they fail in the chief purpose OF
their existence, the protection Of the
public. ~ -. -. ...5-...-
In the street railways systems of
the United States the conductors pre-.
sent class of men, lower paid than
the police by a considerable percent
age, yet, who have an appreciation. OF
the duties of their calling that trans.
cends the understanding that seems
to creep into the minds of the police
men. ILL.,. III
Railroad Men Efficient. q. Il III
The great steam railway systems
have, through systematized training,
produced class of workmen, con.
ductors, collectors, guards, and ush.
ers, who are intelligent, courteous and
buSineslike. ,..>e. 81
'"rhis was not true a generation
ago. and the fact that the railways
have managed to work this reform in
their, organizations is proof positive
that the same sort of seleetiye effort,
if applied to the police, would work
a benefit. ...s=.-..
Where the policemen fail--thfs is
true of New York and every other
great city of the United States-is in
the association which they select. The
poicelnan's friends will be found, in
altogether too many instances, among
the very class of men they are set
to watch. The gamblers, the crooks,
the dive keepers, and the saloon men
are the policeman's intimates A vast
percentage of the policemen recently
appointed to the force come from ex-
eellent forebears. They are healthy,
wholesome, outstanding chaps, whose
natural inclinations are for the most
part in the right direction. The min
ute they obtain a badge and a baton,
however, this condition changes.
Police Associates Bad.
Among the particular classes of
people that the policeman is set to
watch, and against whom he is paid
to protect the public, will be found
his friends. The crooks and the sa-
loon men, the racehorse tout and
the bookmaker cultivate the police
man as a friend. and the poor foolish
copper falls for this unwholesome
intimacy With such relationships es-
tablished the moral course of the blue
coat is downward, and the public is
the sufferer for every step of his de-
bacle.
There are too many policemen,
and too many petty duties for them
to perform. A smaller force, select
ed with a view to the comfort and
protection of the 80 per cent Of the
people, who are respectable and law
abiding, would be able to take care
of the per cent of the public who
! are natural misdemeanants, degener-
ats, thugs, thieves, and generally dis
orderly characters.
"The American policeman is we'll
paid. FTe is overpaid for the class of
service We are getting from him.
With adequate compensation, which
is a pretty general rule throughout the
United States, the municipal authori-
ties should find small difficulty in OBJ
tanning a class Of protectors who have
some other recommendation than size
and pictured majesty, and something.
else under their helmets besides hair
and skull"