The Washington times., 1913-03-05
MAJOR sYLvESTER'S DEFENSE.

makes it quite impossible to accept any ordinary eX-
rfanaton of the police nefficiency of Monday.
major Sylvester, superintendent of police, did
not want the suffrage parade on Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. At the time he asked for the necessary
permit he explained that tine necessity of handing
great demonstrations on two successive days would
impose physical strain and loss of sleep on the men,
bers of his force, which would impair their general
efficiency in time of excessive demands.
That statement might carry some weight 1t the
facts now available did not entirely discountenance
it, If the police were going to lose sleep on March
g. and generally disqualiy themselves for good work,
how does it happen that by March they were in
the pink of condition. arrangements we're perfectly
in hand and the utmost detail of arrangements was
in hand? If handling two parades was going to
break down the physique of the force, it would be
fair to assume that they would be more demor-
allied on the second than on the first day. Major
Sylvesters explanation requires explanation.
The Major makes statement of his case which
suggests that he has need to learn at this late
day. few of the facts about the whole affair. He
does not seem yet to have discovered that prac-
fcaly the whole length of Pennsylvania avenue was
occupied by howling mob. He attributes the
troubles to the breaking of cable, with which the
avenue was roped off, at the Willard Hotel corner,
letting the crowds surge out into the street at that
point
Are we expected to take the Major seriously, and
believe that an incident at Fourteenth street was re-
sponsible for disorders that had taken place long
before a mile away at the other end OF the
Avenue?
But this is not the only marvellous bit OF explana-
ton that the Superintendent of Police asks US to
accept He tosses in quite casually, the opinion that
likely it good thing for that cable to break
-
slop from the sidewalks into the street, and, by
doing this, perhaps saved DISASTER!
This is unique in police tactics. The same
ing would justify the conclusion that street used
for such demonstration ought never to be roped
off, lest it crowd the people the sidewalks and
cause dangerous congestion! We gather that, be-
cause the crowds were not kept within the curb
line on Monday, Major Sylvester personally opnes
that the Monday parade was better managed than
that of Tuesday. If he will seek expressions Of the
general sentiment on that point, he will find HIM
self in a startling minority.
Before Congress and the suffrage organizations
get through with the investigations of police ncom-
potency that have been set on foot Major Sylvester
will have need of some more convincing arguments
than he has presented thus far.
The allegation that there were not men enough
on the force to manage the Monday crowds, falls in
ably 100000 people in the city on Tuesday than
Monday, and that there was no trouble whatever
in managing the great parade of that day, and polio
ing the numerous critical points which required
especial attention.
II is necessary to 90 into details of testi
Inony about the awful exhibition of ncompetency,
or Indifference that disgraced the National Capital
and demonstrated tnat police reorganization is alb
soutely necessary There is conflict of testimony as
10 whether indifference really caused the trouble.
We will know the facts before the investigators get
done with their work. For the present, it is i'm
possible to believe that if the police authorities had
WANTED TO DO WELL on Monday, they could
have DONE WELL; for they did it on Tuesday. From
beginning to end, evidence has accumulated which
today makes crying demand for decision whether
the police authority WANTED THE SUFFRAGE
PARADE TO BE A FAILURE.
The police administration wanted no parade and
was overruled
The police administration wanted the parade kept
OF the Avenue, and overruled.
The police administration warned from the very
beginning that it would not give good protection.
1T HAD ITS WAY.
If mere incompetence were responsible the thing
would not be half the scandal that it seems. But!
If there was a quietly malicious purpose of making
the parade failure, OF PUNlSHING THE WOMEN
FOR DARING TO PARADE at ALL, then the thing
IS scandal of tine first magnitude
The tenor of Major Sylvester's explanation"
cggests that he does not realize how grave Is the
feeling against him. Apparently he needs to be told
that this town is full of people who believe he could
have given good protection to Mondays parade, and
that he DIDN'T DO THAT DUTY because of pref
udice, nanowness and pique
No explanation will get acceptance, which pro-
cee6s from the statement that there wasn't enough
available force to give ample protection The troops