Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-16
MACLACHLAN SAYS
THERE is NO GRAFT
IN POLICE FORCE
Minister Pays High Tribute
to Chief Werner From
Pulpit.
ANSWERS ADDRESS OF
DR.. HOWARD A. KELLY
Action of Ministerial Union as
to Segregation Has Been
Misinterpreted.
ENTIRELY OPPOSED TO SYSTEM
Does Not Favor Suddenly Closing Up
Restricted Area by Sensational
Campaign.

In direct contradiction TO emphatic
statements made in st. Paurs Church
last Sunday night by DIR. Howard A.
Kelly, of Johns Hopkins Hospital that
wherever a segregated district existed
there was graft among the police, Rev.
IL. ID. &. Maclachlan. d. D.. pastor OF
the Seventh Street Christian Church,
said last night that he believed the
Richmond police force to be absolutely
free from graft. and that, Major
Werner is chief of whom any city
might be proud. and whose superior
for upriShtness does not exist in any
city I'm the country. AT the same time,
DIR. Maclachlan said that II was a mis-
Interpretation of the action Of the Min
isterfai Union to say that II had ap-
proved the policy of segregation. Tho
Ministerial Union condemned the
segregation policy, root and branch,
lie said. but demanded certain more
stringent regulations, such as the
elimination OF liquor selling and the
music in the houses of the restricted
area.
WAS ESTABLISHED AS
REFORM MEASURE
In this connection. 1t may be stated
that the policy of segregation was
adopted as reform measure during
the incumbency OF Carlton Mccarthy
as Mayor. and was continued through
the mayoralty OF d. c. Richardson, now
judge OF the Hustings Court Minis
ters and laymen were called into con-
ference BY the Board Of Police Com
missioners. and in lieu OF entire elm
ination, which was not then believed
TO be practicable. 1t was decided that
segregation was the best method to
reduce and control the evil.
During the course OF his sermon. DR..
ri "a aCl, Ia ynoI1 l,f t-yo
UTE to Major Werner. and declaredswith
a,lssie phnsiss equal to that of DIR.
Kclls that he sdid not belIeYs zgraf Sto
be existent among the Richmond police.
He suggested that the police might
prevent certain forms OF evil by throw
around unprotected young girls on the
streets. by watching carefully joyrid-
ing automobiles. and by diligently
policing the moving picture shows.
FUTURE OF CITY
/. RESTS on ITS MORALS
Or. Maclachlan spoke, in part, as
follows:
II have been moved to speak to you
on this subject because OF certain dis
cussions which have taken place in
the daily newspapers and which have,
/ believe, an important bearing on tho
future development OF this city from
moral and spiritual point of view.
i am not OF those who believe in the
indiscriminate batting of public of
ficials. | know enough of the diff1cul-
ties they have to contend with in the
administration of their Offices to un-
derstand that they would be more than
human IL they did not mako mistakes;
and unless We ourselves lay claim to
infalllbility VIC ought to be very sure
a standard OF perfection which We
would not like to have applied to our
selves.
Il have taken as my text the words
of tile Psalm Except the Lord build
the house they labor In vain that build
cation for the discussion OF this topic
from a Christian pulpit To most Of
us. fancy, the topic needs no justi-
fication. but some perhaps may he
dubious of It's propriety. To all such
would commend the principle of the
text. which is, In word. that the well
fare OF any city depends upon tho cX-
tent to which it carries out the law
of God in its civic life.
RELATIONS OF POLICE
TO CIVIC MORALS
"The problem which ! have specially
In mind to discuss with you tonight
is the relation of the Police Depart
AS everybody knows. police powers In
every city of the size OF Richmond must
necessarily bc large and even 10 some
extent elastic No workable system
could be devised which did not permit
the individual member of tho forcc In
certain circumstances to exercise his
private judgment as to the making OF
arrests. There arc n large number Of
acts which may or may not be sub
jccts for police regulation according
to the individual point of view. There
are many cases even, especially In
dealing with Juvenile misdemeanants,
where the interests Of society may bet
ter be served by not bringing the mat
ter into court. even though the law
expressly provides to the contrary.
The best policeman is by no means the
man who makes the most arrests: but
tho one who by the wise handling Of
his material and tactful handling OF
Der OF arrests Unnecessary.
LICENSE TO POLICE BOARD 10
SAY WHAT LAW Is ENFORCED
"But. while. all that istrue. there is
in every large city q constant danger
Of this latitude being stretched until II
becomes a virtual license to the Police
Board to say what law shall be en-
forced and what shall uot---to say
what shall be considered a violation Of
certain laws and what shall not, II
is. of course. Known to every ono that
there is "a law against Sunday trad
ing; II Is equally we'll known that 1t
Is not enforced. Who arc Responsible?
The Police Board. who instruct the pa
troimen what shall be considered vio-
latlons OF tho sunday law and back Of
the Police Board. Of course shall
come to that lnter-thc public opinion
which presumably wants the law vio-
lated. though without tho moral l. cour-
age TO ask the Legislature to repeal
Continued on Third Page.