The Washington times., 1912-03-06
SYLVESTER PLEADS
EXCISE LAWS ARE
NOT STRICT ENOUGH
Police Head Tells Senate
Excise Committee of
l. Conditions.

Ii ''1Contlnuod from First Page)
to relnedy the condition whereby minors
get iiPuor on an order from an adult
OF enough patroln en- to take ad"IIats
care Of The District. He said there were
~ Officers and mon On the force or
ntsc, tltre wArc GiH nrivaics But
this number was 50 reduced Ev details
trat TIC available force reached ONLY
about 400 Only 100 men were avail
able Tor gcnelal police duty through
the day. At night, there wnrr POO
u think 1t would aid to the efficiency
OF the force IL the details could be re-
ne scid
ing out cf II saloon. would van sustain
me and would the Police Court sustain
re- asked the ltev. =. H. E1tlcr.
I'd sustain YOU all right I cannoS
answer for the Police Court said the
Major.
Many Minor Violations.
Questioned by Hugh r. Harvey
Major Sylvester said that White there
was less crime in Waship::jon 1han any
ialge city "f its size, there were great
many minor "iUlatirna
1--WE have no law against drunken
ness he said. I'VE taEc care Of 900
10 $500 drunken men 4 year. The ar>
taken to their homes as L rule. Then
there are 900 20 40 hahi;ual drlnks."
ne followed with other statistics AZ
to the amount of crime here.
Major 'SNlN erStcr slid he thought
Washington as well protected as the Inc
rlcments afforded permitted
=, II thipE there might b" changes in
tie excise laws. ! believe the police
court should have jurisdiction of seq
regated district cases. A greater par
tntal restraint ought to he rXcrC iscd in
the District Of Columbia"
He felt that the failure LroDr"!v 20
res train ,ounG girls in thn District vas
UnforturatP
1--WE have no concert halls or stalls
under our jurisdiction" said Major
sylvester. in response to questions by
Senator Jones.
He said that some of tho restaurants
Where liquor was sold had rooms or
sections curtained off. But he thought
these places were no worse, so far as
attracting young people are concerned,
than rathskellcrs and hotel restaurants.
Refers to Beer Gardens.
A, F.. Shoemaker asked about beer
gardens. Major Sylvester said young
people went there, and that he would
not like to see members of his own
family 90 there.
30 YOU feel that conditions are
worse than at any time in the past
ten years" asked Major Sylvester
growing metropolitanismy here, more
automobiles, more moving picture
shows, and the like.
While we're progressing along these
lines. asked Senator Jones, ''is it not
possible We can progress along the
lines Of excise legislation?
Yes, sir, T. think so, and to very
great advantage" said Major Sylves-
ter
Asks Stricter Laws.
The Rev Richard =. Williams. for
mer pastor of Trinity Church, spoke
for StriCter excise laws. lie told Of
annoyance from drunks in the neigh
borhood of his church.
l.. c. Mcpherson, member of the
Carpenters Union. spoke. He held the
officials of the Central Labor Union
have no right to oppose changes in the
excise laws They could not Lnow the
attitude OF the local unions without A
vote. lie declared the committee from
IN cCentral Union had no right to take
the attltud" II has.
This led TO Il clash with i. J. Ryan.
of the Central Labor Union. but SEN
ator Jones thought the committee COM
petent to judge what force should Ire
GiNen, the testimony of the witness and
also the resolutions of the Central Las.
Iiugr Thrift the Rev Earl Wilney,
and William *. cooper. general secre-
tary Of me Y. NJ. G. A., were among
the End days rs, witnesses %tiS for the dry cause
he has heretofore said criticising the
attitude Of the Central Labor Union
toward the question of excise regula-
lion. lie said he had a union card
DIR. NJ. f. Thompson of the southwest
section of the city; d. ID. Thompson,
OF the northeast section; Mrs William
Mayfcld. ard the Rev. S. w. Grasslim.
of Anacostia, were other speakers in
behalf of stricter excise legislation.
d. y. Thompson objected to the num-
Der Of saloons in the region of Four
teenth and II street northeast. and Mrs
Mayteld read a temperance poem.