The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-12-05
POLICE OF SPAIN
IN AndaIusia They Are Seen In
All Their Shabby Glory.
ARSENALs ON MOVING LEGS.
They Will Put Pistol to Your Head
With the Greatest Politeness and
Lock You In Cell With Infinite
courtesy-Mnes of INSTRUMENTATION.


He is polite. is the Spanish police
man. There is d live and let live air
about him. He possesses neither the
easy and kindly dignity of the police
man of London nor the turbulence of
TIE policeman of New York, but he is
very. very human. And he has the
blessed gift that no other brand of
poilceman seems to possess of appear
ing to be more than IN ordinary person.
True. he is armed. He is an arsenal
moving on legs Put something tells
you that he wouldn't really hurt fly.
nike him
And here must say that he is not
- be COMPOUNDED with the guardia
siyil. The guardia civil is quite an
ether person altogether. He is stern
and austere. and he pa trolls country
districts and lonesome mountainous
places. He was used to put down the
handeleros. those adopts in the art of
swift. forceful borrowing. whose pres
ence did so much to heighten the ro-
nance Of old sunny Spain. The guardia
civil killed off these gay financial art
lists. but now. even after his job has
been finished. he still wears a cold,
austere air. He is indeed not to be
eonfounded with my friend the police
man.
The first time l met the Spanish po-
kceman was one night in certain
town in Andalrlsia. Truth compels me
to state that I met him in profess
si0nal way was indulging with
others in a row when he appeared-in
force. l was gathered in by five Of
him. But how polite he was. He put
his pistol to my head. or. rather the
Eve of them put their pistols to my
head. and made me feel that I would
be doing him the greatest Of favOrs by
coming with him to the police station.
The whole affair was cOurtliness it
self. To be arrested in such manner
was to have a privilege conferred upon
one. At the police station I was again
treated with politeness and in the end
with locked door.
The Spanish policeman, is not too
well paid. He sports not an ambas
sadorial salary. All ne gets is 2 Pc
setas day. He is therefore anne
nable to the friendly and considerable
ever. makes him none the less
worthy and effective guardian of law
and order.
He is shnbby of uniform. But that
is not his fault. 1t is the fault Of
frugal government III appearance he
looks SUnrrtllinG ike an English post
man and III impoverished Spanish
Off. Blt there is artistry about his
HhHi,I,ines>. lie fits into the picture.
Very often. especially in Andalusia.
he is old and rather intirm. One is
often sorry for him rs he humps along
with his sword trundling behind him.
But he has the wisdom that goes with
age. If be sees u row he looks at it
with his blind eye and allows it to
simmer dOwn-a very good thing with
vows.
If you ask Spanish policeman a
question he is politeness itself. But
his answer will be wrong. He is a
mine of misleading information. He
doesn't know. Indeed. what he doesn't
know about the names Of streets and
the way to get to them and things
generally would fill an encyclopedia.
IF you want to know anything you
must not ask a Spanish policeman.
Respect him. for he is Of the best, but
don't ask him questions.
In the nighttime he sometimes car
ries lance. He is then called Il
serene, presumably because he brings
serenity upon troubled waters. He
lit night and makes one think of the
times of old-the times one reads about
In historical rOmances. But he is al
ways harmless. always peaceful and
ready for a friendly gossip. He is
really serenO-a serene person. His
lance Is merely there to round off his
artistic and romantic appearance. And
It is not sharp lance. l know. for
have often felt the edge of it-when
the serene courteOusly handed it to me
for inspection. But it looks artistic
when seen in the distance on a star
lit night.
The policeman of Catalonia is some
what different from the policeman Of
Andalusia. He Is alert. pushful and
Interfering. He is apt to want to know
who you are and what you are and
what your business may be- But Cata-
lsnia is not Spain. 1t is place where
the people rush about doing all man.
ner of things. They like work. and.
what is worse. they like other people
70 work. And their policemen take
after them. ..-
No. the Catalonian policeman cannot
truly be called a Spanish policeman.
II you want to see the true Spanish
policeman you must go down to Anda-
luSia
And you will like him. You will feel
for him the friendliest regard. You
will see him ambling casually along
with stopped shoulders and trundling
sword. And should you have to make
his acquaintance in professional way
you will find that he will deal with
you as an easy and kindly father
Ill z r IL