The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-28

CONTINUED from Page Five)
even in the mind of an opponent to the
new government, that the commission
ers already have done everything with
in their power to remedy the financial
troubles of the city. On the one side
they have reduced operating expenses
in a way that few men can help but
admire and on the other hand they
have warned the public, the tax payers,
of the true conditions of affairs. They
can do nothing more in this line. It $
now up to the voters and the tax payers
to increase the city's income as the
commissioners have decreased its eX-
penses and the proverbial two ends
may then in time get within hailins
distance of each other and make an en-
gagement for meeting.
SO far, so we'll The moral condition
of the city is the other half of the argu-
ment and the new government at last
has undertaken the case.
Given Fair Trial
As there can be no doubt in things
already mentioned. there is equally no
doubt in the mind of the non-partisan
observer that Chief George Boderker is
being given a fair trial. The commits
sion will not vote to remove Bodeker
unless they honestly believe Bodeker
should be removed. They will retain him
in the same way. Whatever they 10
they will do honestly; whether or not
wisely, it will remain to be seen and
the decision will rest with that now
apparently silent s'vox populi."
The sessions of the investigation al
ready held have been unlike anything ever
before held in Birmingham. While at
present the investigation has been dubbed
Bodeker's trial. in sense ii is not. 1t
is more an effort on the part of the COM
missioners to acquaint themselves with
the true criminal elements of the city.
Bodeker's fate will not rest upon whether
or not it is proven the city is infested
with criminals and immortality That is
the reason members of the commission
have insisted upon hearing all kinds OF
evidence, gossip, reports and imagina-
tons.
If the city is bad they want to know
how bad, where, when and how But
that it is bad will not necessarily mean
that its badness is Bodekers fault.
There is no public official whose office
does not lay him liable to criticism, but
from the very nature of the office Of
chief of police it cannot be denied that
its occupant is subject to more criticism
and opposition than any other municipal
servant. Place any public official on trial
as Bodeker is on trial and give his polit-
ical enemies and opponents an opportuni-
ty to air their personal grievances and
reports which they have heard and the
abundance of evidence will be limited
only by two thngs-the length of the trial
and the vigor and activity of the official
in doing whatever he undertakes to do.
Contact With INSCRIPTIONS Element
But the chief of police in performing
his duties comes in contact with an ur-
scrupulous class of humanity, which other
public officials would seldom meet. HIS
duties bring him in contact with those
of all people who can, when the oppor-
tunity is afforded, do him more harm than
any other class. Allow. then. a group of
the chiefs political enemies. men who arc
able and vigorous and just as honest IN
their convictions as the other side, to
circulate among this class of criminals
and the extent and quality and quantity