The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-29
WOULD TURN POLICE
INTO SOCIAL WORKERS
Health Federation Gives Advice
to City Hcads-Suggcsts
Seminar.
INSPECTOR A SOCIOLOGIST
Cahalanc Has Had Encouraging
Results in Similar Pro-
gramme.

Police Commissioner Arthur Woods ana
Health Commissioner s. s. Goldwater re.
ceived suggestions yesterday afternoon
from the Health Federation OF the City
OF New York The federation, In which
about $50 organizations are represented,
arranged through tho Central Council OF
Public Health 10 have the Commissioners
present at a meeting at the Academy Of
Medicine.
Police Inspector Cahalane, who has
turned sociologist, was there. lie has
been trying out In his district some Of
the things upon which the speakers
elaborated yesterday afternoon, and so-
cordng to Commissioner Woods IL sue
ceeding to degree that will encourage
similar attempts in other districts.
The suggestions ranged from the elim-
ination of the splitting cop" to a sort OF
serajnar In social service for the benoft
OF the patrulman. one of the suggestions
was that policemen be- invited to an ex-
perionce meeting. whore persons who un-
derstand what New York needs may try
TO breed in them the spirit Of reform. The
first requisite. according to the speakers,
is that the policeman shall DO made sym
pathetic; that he get into the swing Of
tinctly sociological His efficiency should
DO rated the speakers suggested, not 40
much according TO the number OF male
factors he arrests - according to his sue
cess in preventing citizens and others
from becoming malefactors
Bailey n. Burritt. general director Of
the Association for Improving the Con-
dition OF the Poor. explained the point OF
view OF the Health Federation by saying
that a persistent attack upon ignorance
should form an essential part Of the work
of tho Health and Police departments be-
cause OF the direct relation between dirt,
disease and disorder on one side and lg-
noranco on tho other.
knowledge Of sanitary Code.
Mrs. Frederick Nathan. president Of the
Consumers League. said that every police
man ought to be familiar with the sani-
tary code that he could disseminate
Information along his beat. She thought
the pushcart man could be made an agent
for cleanliness by permitting him to stay
in one place provided he kept his wares
properly covered and kept the street I'M
medlately about him clean. Policemen
she said. should know when girls arc be-
ing kept at work beyond the legal time.
and IL a policeman meets a hoy carrying
bundle he ought TO stop him and find out
why he isn't In school. The policeman,
she went on. ought TO sec that glasses in
properly washed he ought not 10 spit
where splitting liz not allowed and ought
TO see that others also refrain he ought
to carry the list OF respectable boarding
houses for girls furnished by the Con-
sumers League 10 that when a girl asks
him where she can get "A room he can tell
her.
From Louis Heston Pink OF the Recrea-
ton Alliance came the suggestion that
certain carefully selected policemen should
be assigned TO a social squad There was
applause when he said that there ought to
he women In this squad. The duty OF this
squad would be TO watch pleasure resorts,
excursion boats. dance halls and parks TO
preserve order and decency.
Mrs Edward kingwood Hewitt, presi-
dent OF the Women's Municipal League,
characterized the policeman a. n 'dialyz-
ing medium. vino let's Just as much OF the
law soak through him as the people will
stand for" She thought policeman
ought 20 be able 10 SEQ "A cat sitting In "A
tub Of butter. TO drive the cat away from
the butter and then to tell the storekeepsr
not TO let the cat DO I, again. Mrs.
Hewitt also thought something ought 10
be done about standsrdlzins automobile
horns and suppressing tho boy VINO yells
Extra :" all the time as II there really WAS
something new She spoke in favor Of the
justices removal Of ashes In covered carts
and ~ Fairgrounds on top OF skyscrapers
vator or aeroplane,
Miss waId's, Suggestion.
Miss Lillian D. Waid OF the Henry Stree,
Settlement suggested the experience meet
Ing for policemen. She said these men
reed training In observation and that a
seminar IN social service would greatly
Increase the number of workers. She said
she believed there should h. "A reduction
IN the number OF kinds ~ health inspcc-
tors.
Or. Charles LOOMS Dana, a member
of the public health committee OF the
New York Academy Of Medicine. said he
wouldn't make any more suggestions. but
called attention to the work which In
spsctor Cahalane Is doing, This opened
The way for Commissioner Woods.
The Commissioner said that in order 10
get the policeman to do anything you had
20 show him that II was worth while. lie
said that under present circumstances
there Is no way of giving recognition 10