The Washington herald., 1913-08-31
Former President Chapters Of Possible Autobogra.
phy," Tells Of Work as Head Of New York POEce-Sa-
loon Lid Almost Closed, Despite Adverse Opinion

Now and then a man, though a brave
man, proved to be slack or stupid or vic
ious, and we could make nothing out of
him; but hardihood and courage were
qualities upon which We insisted and which
We rewarded. Whenever 1 see the police
force attacked and v;Iifed, always re-
member my association with it. The cases
/ have given above are merely instances
chosen at random among hundreds of
others. Men such as those have men
toned have the right stun in them!
If they go wrong, the trouble is with
the system, and therefore with US, the
citizens, for permitting the system to go
unchanged. The conditions of New York
life are such as to make the police prob
lem therein more difficult than in any
other OF the worlds great capitals. I am
often asked II policemen are honest. 1
believe that the great majority of them
want to be honest, and will be honest
whenever they are given the chance. The
New York police force is a body thorough
ly representative of the great city itself
Irish Birth PredOminates.
As have said above. the predominant
ethnic strains in it are, first, the men of
Irish birth or parentage, and, following
these, the native Americans, usually from
the country districts, and men OF German
birth or parentage. There are also Jews,
Scandinavians, Italians, Slavs, and men
of other nationalities. All soon become
welded into one body. They are physi-
cally a fine lot. Moreover, their instincts
are right; they are game, they are alert
and self-reliant, they prefer to act square
ly If they are allowed so to act All that
they need is to be given the chance TO
prove themselves honest, brave, and self
respecting.
The law at present is much better than
in our day, so far as governing the force
is concerned. There is now a single COM
missioner, and the mayor has complete
power over him. The mayoi, through his
commissioner, now has power to keep the
police force on a good level of conduct If
with resolution and common sense he
insists on absolute honesty within the
force and at the same time heartily sup
ports it against the criminal classes. To
weaken the force in its dealings with
gangs and tOughs and criminals gener-
ally is as damaging as to permit dishon-
esty, and moreover, works toward dis
honesty. But, while under the present
law very much improvement can be
worked. there is need of change of the
law which will make the police commits
siOner a permanent, nonpartisan official,
holding Office so long as ne proves thor
oughlv fit for the job, completely iEde-
pendent of the politicians and privileged
interests, and with complete power over
the force. This means that there must
be the right law and the right public
opinion back of the law.
Wanted 10 BE n Martyr.
The many-sided ethnic character OF the
force now and then gives rise to, or af-
fords opportunity for, queer happenings.
Occasionally it enables one to meet emer-
Eencies in the best possible fashion. While
] was police commissioner an anu-Sem-
itiC preacher from Berlin, Rector Ahl-
warlt, came over to New York to preaca
crusade against the Jews. Many OF the
New York Jews were much excited, and
asked me to prevent him from speaking
and not to give him police protection.
This, l told them was impossible: and If