The Mena weekly star., 1913-03-13
POLICE NEGLECTED
 DUTY SAYS CHIEF
Major Sylvester Declares Men Should Have Protected Suffra- gists During Parade
 Hearing Continued.

Washington, March 9.-In a stuffy overcrowded committee room, the leaders of the suffrage parade that was halted by disorder in the streets her2 Monday, told the Sen ate subcommittee investigating the affair yesterday of their efforts to secure proper police protection. Major Richard Sylvester, superin- tendent of police, related his side of the story, declaring he believed he had placed force on Pennsyl- vanla avenue that was ample to handle the crowd and protect the parade.
 Miss Alice Paul, chairman of the committee which arranged for the parade, told the committee that for over a month she and her associ- ates had "bombarded" Major Syl- vester and the war department in their efforts to insure the proper protection of the parade.
 "The district authorities would refer us to the war department and the war department would tell us if there was any trouble the fault would be with the district authori- ties" she said.
 When the suffragists were urging Major Syiv, ster to grant them a permit to parade in Pennsylvania avenue, Ms Paul declared the su- perintendent of police tried to dis suade them by saying that the huge inauguration crowds would be dis orderly and that he had too few men at his disposal to afford them proper protection. Miss Paul said she reminded Major Sylvester of these statements and urged him to request aid from the war depart ment. This he did not do.
 HOOdlums Were Expected.
 He told me that the riff-raif of the south would be here for the in auguration on account of the Democratic victory when he op- posed our marching on March 3, but after we had secured the per- init and were working to insure proper protection, he just said: oh, that will be all right, said Miss Paul.
 Mrs. s. G. Moller, Miss Elsie Hill of Norwalk, Conn.,, and Mrs. Anna Jeaness- Miller of Washington, also told of their efforts to secure the policing of the line of march by federal troops. Former Secretary of War Stimson had explained ear Her in the day that he had declined to order cavalry out because the law did not give him the authority to do so except in emergencies. He had, he said, placed troop of cav airy at the disposal of the local au- thorities. Joseph s. Carroll, who was in charge of the work-ef halt ing the trolley cars along the line of march, and NJ. c. Palaml, news paper correspondent, told of incl dents in the streets.
 In reply to questions, Major Syl- vester told the committee that prior to the time of the parade he did not think that the aid of troops was necessary.
 'I believed the force I had placed on the avenue sufficient" he sad. Then if the avenue was not properly cleared by o'clock on the day of the parade, in your judgment the men and officers on duty there did not do their duty?" asked Chairman Jones.
 Police Neglected Duty.
 Yes, sir; that is it," answered Major Sylvester. "I was surprised and shocked when 1 reached Penn sylvania avenue after escorting president-eect Wilson to his hotel, to find that the crowd had over flowed into the street all along the lines instead of only at the points where the ropes had broken"
 The huge crowds, Major Sylves- ter said, could hardly have be- kept on the sidewalks, but they could have been held back enough to allow the parade space to pass in an orderly manner.
 But One Person Injured.
 Major Sylvester said that the hospital reports showed only one person injured and fl cases of ex-
  haustion during the parade.
 The committee will continue it's hearing next week.
 Women prominent in sutfraglSt circles have started a movement to recognize the services of the Boy Scouts during the suffrage parade by presenting each of the scouts with bronze medal. It is pro posed to raise fund throughout the country. The scouts did splen- did work in attempting to keep the crowds back. A meeting of protest against the treatment accorded the suffragists is to be held tomorrow in a local theater.
 Corporal" Tanner is to preside, and Senators Shafroth, Clapp and LaFollette are expected to speak.