The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-21
Advocates COnvicts on the
Roads, Farm for Boys and
Home for Girls
BIG PROBLEM TO-DAY is
TO REFORM PRISONERS
Pleads for Better Spirit of Co-Opera-
ton Between Citizens and Police
Department-Raps Gun
Toting"

Convicts should be taken out of the
mines and worked on the county roads,
a farm for young men first offenders
and home for fallen girls, and a bet
ter cooperative attitude between the
public and the police department, were
some of the things advocated by Chief
Of Police George H. Bodeker in his ad-
dress before the Peoples Forum yester-
Gay afternoon in the Amuse-U theatre.
The theatre was filled with an audi
ence of young men who paid close at
tention to the remarks OF the head of
the police department of the Magic
CITY,"
"The good policeman" the chief said.
us he that can keep good order on
his beat with the fewest arrests. And,
this afternoon, I want to impress on
this audience the fact that every mem
Der of the police force of Birmingham
considers himself the protector, friend
and servant of every citizen In this
great city. This is the attitude of the
police force under my charge and the
attitude of the citizens toward the po-
lice force should be the same. Nowhere
in life is the spirit of cooperation more
needed than between the police depart
ment and the citizens of any great city.
1t has been my endeavor to foster a
spirit of cooperation between the peo-
ple of Birmingham and the police de-
partment and 1 believe that l have been
successful, as frivolous and inconse-
quential arrests are now at a minimum,
and the present force is on a plane of
efficiency never before attained
Not Bugaboo
"The policeman is not a bugaboo.
That is fallacy. He is hard working
man with a family the same as the most
of us; taxpayer, and a loyal citizen
and should not be looked at as the
dreaded arm of the law. There is moth
ing that I abhor so much as to come
down the street in my uniform and OBJ
serve woman with some children
about her, hastily warning the children
to look out as a policeman is coming
Children should not be taught to fear
policemen, but to respect them for the
work they do.
"The children are the coming genera
tion and the greatest asset that we
have. don't want the children afraid
of me, for that will interfere with my
work in helping them. We are, be-
lieve, all together in the movement to
make conditions for the children better
than they were when we were YOUNG.
And l take this opportunity to urge on
you all to pay your poll taxes that the
children of Alabama may reap the
benefit in education.
The greatest problem facing the DO
lice department today is that of reform
ing and making better citizens of the
unfortunates that fall within the clutches
of the law. The old idea of putting a.
man in Jail and letting him rot there is
becoming obsolete. 1t is not economical.
The state is deprived of the services of
an able man forever and makes an enemy
to society. At every convention of police
chiefs this is the topic that receives
the most attention. We have not as
yet reached the stage of letting off every
! first offender in Birmingham, but all
worthy cases are investigated and let off
| lightly.
\ Farm for Bad Bows
In Birmingham We should have a farm
to send young men and boys where they
could work out in the air away from the
evils of the city, and secure another and
cleaner viewpoint of life and its respon-
sibilities. We should also have a home
for fallen girls and better laws to pro-
tect the women from the wiles of immoral
men. | was approached some time ago
for my views on $1,00O,00O bond issue for
a new courthouse and jail. / was against
it, for we do not need any more jails to
manufacture more criminals, but institu-
tions to reform the criminals that we
have amongst us at present. l will favor
and work hard at any time for a bond is
sue of 100000 for a girls home and Il
place for young men and boys but not
cent for more jails.'
In answer to several questions from the
audience following his address, Chief
Bodeker stated that he was opposed 10
working the convicts in the mines, and
that nothing pleased him more than to
see them working now on the county
roads. Ignorance, lack of education and
blindness to right and wrong are respon-
sble for crime In jefferson county," was
pistol toting. and utter disregard Of
human life," was his answer to another
Query as to the causes of the large num-
ber of homicides in Jefferson county. On
this Chief Bodeker further said:
"If a man caught carrying concealed
weapons was given Stlff sentence, ana
that sentence was not repealed by the
higher courts on various technicalities, it
would go a great way in lessenlng The
carrying of concealed weapons. and
therefore the temptation to shoot when
ever somebody steps on your toes. In
stead of shooting a man full of holes and
being shot full of holes yourself when
ever difference OF opinion arises. | ad-
vocate going back to the old English
method of taking off your coat and whip
the other man or get whipped; then shake
hands and be good friends. Investiga-
ton has proven that homicides are caused
because of carrying pistols and using
them rather than our fists to settle our
souabbles. / have absolutely no sympathy
with the "gun toter,'' and they go TO jail
III, a,,a,,et. can pet my a a nds On them -