The Washington times., 1913-03-09
MAJOR sYLvEsTERs CONTRADICTIONS

Major Sylveste..'s efforts to shift The response
bility for last Mondays disorders during the suffrage
parade, have brought him into curious joint de-
bate with himself.
In his testimony before the Senate committee
Yesterday the major got his wires crossed sadly He
told the committee that when he was asked for a
permit to parade on Pennsylvania avenue he was
fearful of trouble, and before issuing the permit
consulted his superiors He advised that the parade
be held on March 5, when there would be fewer
people in the city; he also urged tnat some other
route be selected But in the end he granted the
authorization.
All the testimony to this point indicates his fears
Of trouble. When Miss Alice Paul, representing the
women, discussed the matter with nim he predicted
trouble.
THE conditions which resulted" concluded the
major were not worse than | predicted to Miss
Paul when she called at my Office for the permit"
So far, excellent The astute and foresighted
chief could anticipate the trouble; knew it would
happen; said so; warned against it,
But why then in heavens name, should the chief,
so clearly seeing all this in advance, nevertheless
feel that the aid of troops not necessary?
The troops were awaiting his call. He knew it.
He foresaw the troubles: for the conditions which
resulted were not worse than predicted Yet, after
getting himself into all this maze of contradictions
he proceeds:
Il believed the force mad placed on the Avenue
sufficient"
He foresaw the trouble; predicted it; declares
that if was no worse than he had anticipated. Yet
he believed the force he had placed on the Avenue
sufficient
There is only one explanation of all this: an ex-
rlanation toward which indeed all the collateral facts
as well the ma jor's own testimony, inevitably
point That explanation is that THERE WAS JUST
ABOUT AS MUCH TROUBLE ON THE AVENUE
AS THE MAJOR CONSIDERED DESIRABLE
The contradictions throughout Major Sylvesters
testimony make if perfectly valueless. How does he
reconcile the statement that
The conditions which resulted were not worse
than | predicted d'-witn the subsequent statement
that
Il was surprised and shocked when reached
Pennsylvania avenue to find that the crowd had over
flowed into the street all along the line?"
If the major expected, foresaw, predicted, warned
against all that happened; if wnat actually happened
was mot worse than he predicted" THEN WHY WAS
HE SURPRISED AND SHOCKED when he saw that
everything he had predicted taking place?
An official who attempts escape personal re-
sponsbiity by such feeble series Of contradictions
can hardly nope for success. The major declares
that his own conscience is clear; that he did all in
his power; that his subordnates were to blame. And
he is not sparing in his condemnation of both sub
ordinate officers and privates.
Were his subordnates responsible for HIS failure
to ask for troops when ne anticipated and expected
the disorders?
The whole story is demonstration of the i'm
possibility of Sylvester as police administrator. IF
he tells the truth about his confident anticipatons of
trouble then he convcts himself of scandaous neg-
gence and incompetence in not taking special pre-
cautions to avoid it. He did not take those pre-
cautions.
After this showing of his own administrative
failure he attempts to clear his skirts by putting the