The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-06
BELIEVES WOMEN
POL|CE ARE NEEDED
Mrs. Q. II. P. Belmont Appears
Before Committee and Recon-
'3s Incnds Them.
no PROTECT YOUNG GIRLS
Would Be Able to Accomplish
Work Not Done by Male
Officers.
Especial to The Times Dispatch. ]

teISpcClaI TO me i'm eS- l'lSIdlcil.I
New York. March 5.-MrS. .. il. L.
Belmont, who appeared to-day as Il
witness before the Wagner Committee
on Remedial Legislation. declared that
women police We're needed to stamp
out the increasing delinquency among
girls in this city. Mrs. Belmont said
that she had givcn a great deal of
study to the conditions existing here.
especially during the recent strike OF
cir! shirtwaist workers. and was con
WINGED that there was urgent need for
women on the police force.
Mrs. Belmont put ON Z pair OF steel
trimmed sIectacics to read a iive-pagc
,yrcwritten statement into the records.
When Mrs. Belmont finished reading
hcr manuscript she took off her steel
trimmed spcctacles. put them carefully
back in her rcticuic, and reached for
ward TO the nun she had placed on
the floor. Just then n nashight was
made, and in the excitement induced
hy the glaring light and the slight con-
cussion Mrs. Belmont slipped and al
most fell from the platform.
She bit her lip for an instant, and
then smiled. as she realized that she
had merely been the target OF dozen
cameras and not the Guniran seeking
vengeance for hcr pronounced views
AS the mother is the guardian OF
her children. both boys and girls, in
IN. home, which is conceded 10 DO
right and natural" said Mrs. Belmont,
II believe that instead OF eliminating
this good influence at critical stage
IN the life of the children of tho ma
zion. it should be extended into the
streets, and the municipality should
DC represented by women qualified to
furnish motheriy protection to girls
in public places.
Without dcpreciating the value Of
the policeman. ii seems to me that no
matter how worthy and upright, he is
nrl 70 81. ,x,tt
girls without the aid OF the woman
II believe that q force of police wo-
men should be assigned TO the various
sections that are most congestcd at
niEht-not overlooking the lonely
Dlaces--and that men and women po-
lice should cooperate in every depart
inent of the work.
Il believe that When man aocosts n
woman on the street the polccwonan
should be empowered TO compel the
policeman TO arrest the offender ana
the policcwomans testimony accented
cit is rarely that we hear OF a man
being brought into court on a charge
brought against him by a woman. while
we constantly hear OF women vino are
condemned tor soliciting, simply on
the word OF a man who is usually more
guilty than she In the case of police
women. this fragrant injustice could
and would be materially lcsscncd"
Rev. Charles II. parkhurst, II. d.
ana Comptroller William a. Prendcr-
CAST also appeared before the commit
tee DR.. Parkhurst declared that IL
would be good thing if the chief OF
police, like the late Inspector Byrnes.
could be kept in office for life
Former Police Commissioner Theo-
dore Bingham told the Curran alder
manic committee that the various as-
sociations III the Police Department
should be done away with. because
they tend TO interfere with discipline.
\ These various police organizations.
the general said. have raised funds.
one OF 100000, ia influence police leris-
lation. He advocated a twalve-yea, ;,
Term for the police commissioner and
advised that full authority should be
vested in his hands and not be made
q Jigurehead