New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-08

still go TO Headquarters, nor can all
the precinct politics stop them.
To some Of the uniformed force Old
Z is still a bugaboo.
ITS all right to say use your
clubs they declare That goes
mighty we'll in after dinner speeches.
But how about General Order 7? It's
still on the books, amt il? It's just
the old game of passing the buck 70
the man on the corner, that's all"
Another powerful foe of the gang
ster is intelligent election reform.
The Short Ballot Organization, the
Honest Ballot Association and dozen
other civic organizations are adyocat-
ing reforms which they believe will
divorce the gang from politics. A sug-
gestion Is made by Jonah j. GoldStein
that in seeking election reform the
removal of the gang be made the pri-
mary instead of the secondary object.
II that can be done he is convinced
that the death knell of the gang will
have sounded
Start with Ioungster.
Mr.. Goldstein lived for twenty two
years on the East Side lie is an at
torney at 500 Broadway and a member
of the City Club, the East Side Neigh
borhood Association and other organi-
cations. He would begin with the
youngsters from six 20 sixteen yecrs
who are brought into the children'S
court and would continue the fight
against the gang by amending the cleo
ton law.
"A mass meeting such as that at
Cooper Union has its place sail Mr.
Goldstein, "if it's purpose is to arouse
public sentiment But then what
What are resolutions recommending
legislative amendments? What are
you going to do-enact a law that II
shall be considered a crime for a gang
ster to shoot man? What IS needed
is definite. intelligent action
Mr.. Goldstein has given considerable
thought TO the subject. He has gone
deeper than the orators who call meet
ings to arouse public sentiment. He
believes that he has an idea of value.
Further thought and further work, ne
admits, may develop 1t into something
still more valuable.
He points out that the gangster on
trial in General Sessions has record
which goes back to the Children
Court.
There is no juvenile delinquent
guilty of any serious offence sucn as
theft" said Mr.. Goldstein, unless there
is an adult criminal behind him. Take
the youngster picking pockets; would
he steal a watch unless he knew OF an
adult through whom he could dispose
of the stolen property? The question
is how 70 reach the adult.
The inferior courts act, Goldstein
said, contains proviso tat an as
sistant district attorney shall be IN
every part Of Special Sessions except
the Children's Court. 1t does not pro-
hibit the stationing of representative
of the District Attorney in that court.
1t has been the practice, however, not
TO have one there.
Children's Court Prosecutor.
Goldstein would have an assist
ant district attorney in the Children
Court. He would have him there not
TO prosecute the juvenile delinquents,
but to seize and follow every shred OF
evidence pointing to the adult Grim
inal So far as the children are con-
cerned. Goldstein holds that stealing
is not an unnatural instinct, and the
necessity is TO teach the offenders to
control their impulses.
"You can't catch the youngsters with
vinegar" he continued, ANY more thar
YOU can flies. You've got to use mo-
lasses, and the place to use II IS the
Children's Court. A. soon as you have
a boy brought TO the District Attorney
Office or to the Tombs he becomes a
desperate in his own mind. Guided by
what he believes TO be the ethics of the
bravado. he refuses TO answer ques-
tons.
But in the Children's Court it is
different The boy goes there realizing
that he is being treated as bad boy,
and he acts like bad boy. IL is only
there that the basis Of truth IN his
story can be discovered"
The gangster, Goldstein believes,
draws his life from politics. Change
the rules Of the political game, and
he must 20. His other Illegal bust
ness gambling. women. whatever II
may be-he throws aside temporarily
when the political machine begins to
hum. He can deliver a dozen votes at
the primaries, he can turn trick on
election day, but he must be paid.
And he demands good pay. As 2
sheet writer he might make $40 day.
II he ran crap table he might rake
in 800. A man Of that sort won't take
a clerking job at so a week. He gets
il from politics, from gambling, from
women and from labor troubles.
The mixing Of the gangs in industrial
troubles Mr.. Goldstein attributes 20 in
adequate police protection. II enough
policemen could have been spared
properly 10 guard pickets, strike break
ers and employers he believes the gang
ster would never have found foot
hold there. lie believes that the gun
man seldom or never kills Tor the
actual money that may be given him.
when you talk of paying $40 or S25
or 5000 70 kill a man, that's bunk and
tommyrOt Suppose a gangster IS my
friend-he depends on me for his sup
port. Another man is my enemy. /
don't reach any definite bargain with
my gangster friend. Ny grievance be-
comes his grievance; my welfare is his
welfare. All that he would actually
expect from me would be that If he
got into trouble | would do everything
in my power to help him.
at wasn't for money that 'Gyp the
Blood and Lefty Louis killed Rosen-
thai. Il was the notion that Becker
would stand behind them. and they