Evening journal., 1914-11-19
Peoples Column
MOUNTED. or UNMOUNTEp.
To the Editor of THE EVENING
TnTrDNAT.

ones relative TO an increase in
salaries for the local police, can
stand some more without injuring
the subject, and hence / beg a por-
ton of your valuable space to men
tion same.
Council at its last meeting made
legal its authorization for the in
crease of seven men for the proposed
traffic squad. No doubt the Police
Commissioners will act at their next
meeting The question that is now
causing plenty of opinion is, If it Is
to be mounted: Many think that
seven capable men should be put on
Market street to act as traffic and
information officers, ana that the
new ones be put on districts. They
think officers on foot are more valu-
able than mounted ones, and that
the city will save the cost of horses
and their upkeep.
When this resolution was being
passed. one of the Councilmen wanted
to know what had become of the re-
solution which had been offered to
increase the salaries of the officers.
To this another explained that it
was being considered and would be
heard from later This has caused
the Fireside and Hot Stove Leagues
with apologies to the Tenth Ward
Club to Join in harmonious (?) dis
cussions of how, why and when they
should be increased.
There are, Of course, some. who
think they shouldn't get an Increase,
but the majority feel as if they
should. Those objecting say rob-
berries are still being committed and
hence the force isn't efficient. But
do they consider that the fellow doing
the robbing is as capable and wise
at his business" as they are at
theirs? Do they think that he would
break into a house or store with an
officer near? Don't they think that
he stays in hiding. until the officer
passes. then does his job, knowing
that the territory necessary to cover
won't allow the officer TO pass that
way again for several hours? Do
they know Of any city where all Of
tenders are caught? Don't they
know that the larger the city is. the
harder IL is to locate or get clues?
Do they suppose that every burglar Is
q rough ragged man, with a heavy
beard and a mask over his eyes?
Couldn't he be as fashionable and
as up 20 date as the hundreds of men
that travel on our streets every day?
Could they pick a burglar in such a
crowd?
The considering Of such matters
would make the matter more logical.
An officers job Us not luxury. Oh,
you say.-well plenty try TO get them.
This is true, but are they all capable.
or are they of the calibre necessary?
Would you like to walk the streets
for twelve hours at a time in nice
Juicy" hot or cold weather? Would
YOU. with another man, like to cover
such districts as "all north Of the
Brandywine. west of Market street"
Market to Madison street, Eighth to
the Brandywine," or other such large
districts. or even a considered small
district in the business section, such
as Fourth to Eighth, Market to Madi-
son, with its hundreds of houses and
stores?
Wouldn't it be the easiest thing in
the world for one officer to be at
Eighth and Madison streets. and an
other at Fourth and Madison, and a
burglar at Seventh and West, or
Fifth and Orange? Use any district
for comparison. Isn't it unreason-
able to expect two men to be every
where on such districts? Don't you
think our police officers are as good
as any city you can manner why
only this week. Philadelphia papers
are complaining of the highwaymen
and robberies in the outlying dis
tricts. Till Doom's Day, man VIII
find someone on edge to take advan-
tage of him, and no matter how many
police officers a city may have, some
one will get away" with a crooked
job
With these points in view, think no
one could openly oppose an increase
for these men. However, there is a
wav which the writer thinks would
he a good plan to consider. In many
cities. police officers are paid by
length of service. Wouldn't that be
a wise suggestion for us to try
MANY of our officers have been on
the force anywhere from eighteen to
twenty-five years, and have been rem
dering good services. Shouldn't they
receive more consideration than Off
GERS who have been on but from one
TO five years? Employers pay theiI
employees on this basis, at least
when the positions are along th'
same lines. In large cities, the police
officers are paid on a service basis
In Federal positions this is also
rule. take for instance, local letter
carriers.
I think increases along this line
4
opposed to same. agree that they are
lust. | don't know the proposed scal'
OF increase, but think they shoui'
vary about So month for every tiv'
wears of service. For instance, az
officer Of one to five years service
might get SIS. an officer from ive Z
ten years service, $50 one from Il
TO IS years. $50, and so on. Such
scale would affect the patrolmei
principally. but If there we're wid
variations in the sergeants years o
service. the same plan should b
considered. If not, general IN
creese should be given.
have always heard 1t said tina
IL is better to talk about things be
fore they are done, than afterwards
Hence, trust these thoughts will no
fall on deaf ears, and that the polio
will get their increase, and that
will be granted Upon the best metho
possible.
SQUARE DEAL FOR MY
CITY FIRST
Wilmington, Del, Nov. is, 1914.
EVERYBODY INVITED.
Tho egIT "a To Church Day