Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-09
DISTRICT POLICE
HIGHLY PRAISED
Good as Any IN World, Speaker
Clark and Commissioner
Johnston Say.
LATTER DEPLORES DEFICIT
EXISTING IN PENSION FUND
President Sylvester Gives His Annual
Report-Delegates and Wives
Received at White House.

1T is better to be an ortirnist than {
pessimist, declared Champ Clark. Speak
CT of the House OF Representatives, in hi.
address before the International Associa
ton of Chiefs OF Police. which opened
is twelfth annual convention at the Ra
leigh Hotel today.
II believe pessimists ought to be Iockeo
up, he continued, but we must have
thehl-theE are necessary evils. Judges
police courts. criminal courts. grand Ju
ries. criminal juries, jails and peniten-
t1aries are all necessary evils
4 believe the world is improving ant
that the police system is improving" he
said The police system OF Washington
IS better than any other city of its size
in the world
Greeted by Commissioner Johnston.
The convention was called to order at
$50 o'clock by Maj. Richard Sylvester,
presiden. Of the association. Rev DR.. G..
Ernest Smith, rector of st. Thomas Epis-
copal Church. pronounced the invocation,
which was followed by an address OF
welcome by Commissioner Johnston.
Commissioner Johnston told the police
chiefs that Washington is as much their
city as the people who reside here per-
manently, because 1t is the seat of gov
eminent.
II have had considerable experience
with men and know Of the hazards q po-
liceman runs into during hts life,'' he
said "A policeman in turning a corner
does not know whether or not his life
will be taken"
He told Of an instance of two policemen
who were killed by men who had been
engaged In pistol duel.
What becomes Of the widows and chill
dren OF those men, who gave their lives
in public duty?' he asked. There are
pension funds to provide for them in
many cities We have one here: but l
am sorry to say that we are about $50,
600 behind In the funds
Lauds Local Police System.
The Commissioner declared that the DO.
lice system Of Washington is as good as
any in the world. In closing he invited
the conventionists to enjoy themselves
during their stay and to go back to their
homes and tell others Of the beautiful
city of Washington
D. ]: Callahan. president OF the Cham
Der OF Commerce. took occasion to tel
the police chiefs that the Washington
police department is free OF politics and
Of graft. The elimination Of graft in the
police department here. he declared. i.
due mainly to the efforts OF the Commits
sioners Of the District OF Columbia ano
to the chief OF police.
Maj. Sylvester. as president Of the as
sociation, presented his annual report
He said. in part:
1.-THE wonderful advances and manifold
achievements of the last score of year.
in all lines OF endeavor have SO changed
social conditions and multiplied propert,
interests as to make II incumbent upon
governments to Introduce new and modern
means and methods for the prevention OF
attempts at unlawful interruption of these
developments. for the detection OF OBJ.
structing factors which unlawfully inter.
fere. as we'll as for the protection OF hui
mainly and property involved in this on.
ward course.
System" Stage Not Yet Attained.
THE enlargement OF the metric method
Of criminal Identification and the intro.
duction OF the finger-print method Of Sc.
curing criminal information have beer
accomplished through the agency Of the
International Association. In this con.
nection 1t might be stated that 1t is g
common error. even on the part Of those
who call themselves skilled in the pro
fession. to refer to either as a system
That stage has not yet been attained
The system prevails in India, England
France. Austria, Argentina and Ger
many. and will eventually follow in til,
United States and Canada. That will b,
when each mum. cipanty therein maintain
ing q police department. modern. yes to tn,
extent of placing In effect an identiflca
ton method of one kind or another, an,
lends it's support to that Clearing house
known as the national bureau of crimina
Identification. In other words. it require.
all the units to make a whole. and tn,
whole constitutes system. We have tn,
methods now. and 1t is hoped that one o
them may be adopted within the mex
several years by all cities and towns ii
order that there may exist a system il
fact.
The finger-print plant should be in tn,
Office Of every police head In the world
Simplicity In operation. cheapness Of cos
and accuracy of information commenc
ent German cities recently met in Berlin
and agreed to eliminate the metric meth
cd, except for International use, and t.
adopt the dactyloscopic or finger-prin
method. which will eventually prevail
throughout the world. maybe not the
original combination and classification
but In one form OF some kind.
THE Photographic art has ever beer
indispensable to successful police en-
deavor. and is now being applied not only
the moving picture Aim has been utilized
to bring forth the movements Of indi.
viduals In crowds and In places as q
means of substantiating testimony
Bird's-Eye Views Added.
Tor the purposes of the coroner. the
District attorney and juries. pictures OF
crimes and accident scenes have long beer
resOrted to In practice. but to that have
been added bird's-eye views OF traffic
conditions In city tn oroughfares, TO afford
object lessons for reference to traffic
police. in order that they may familiarizt
themselves with situations requiring cor.
rection, and the highest grade Of the ar,
is also required for the reproduction OF
Letters, notes and forged or altered banl
checks, in order that intelligent presen "a
ton Of such cases may be communicated
for purposes OF apprehension and re
covery.
| THE makers of revolvers and auto
matte pistols have attained the high
ton Of these implements. but the adop
ton OF one as against the other for pc
| lice purposes must be largely deter
mined by local conditions. 1t Is need
| less to add that advances have beer
made in apparatus for humane re
| straint, folding 1itters. batons and. il
fact everything known to police equip
ment Demonstrators are present max
| ing exhibits of their respective lines
and 1t Is encouraging to note that thi:
feature OF the annual gathering /:
growing.
1.-THE spirit Of charity prevails through
out the bodies Of police. Despite the un
Just criticism which is too often theirs
many a life has been saved. many
| heart made lighter by the policeman
individual mite being quickly given 70
fuel, food or lodging-not a Requirement
49, 1o IF Z