South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-01
)UR VERY DEFICIENT TRAFFIC
OFFICERS

OE fltEl
A sane and reasonable enforcement |
y the traffic laws of South Bend and |
indiana is not only tolerable but de- |
y-ira bic with every right-minded per
s son. Generally we had been led TO !
believe that the present administra- |
Etion had been sane and reasonable IN !
the performance OF this duty, but our
Hath is beginning TO waver. The re-
Z cent arrest of a man. stranger here |
{ because coming across the country
ne had lost one OF the numbers off
Efrom mis- machine, other instances of I
. a similar order. and these supple
=mented by the general crabbiness of
the tramc officers. is what has shaken
our faith.
we sincerely hope that there will
E be no more traffic officers in South
Bend il they have TO be of the seem
.nglv dominant disposition of those
s hat we already hove. We do not be-
S aeve in allowing transient AUTOMOBILE
SIS 10 come in here and overrun the
town 10 the danger of the public, but
u policeman. and especially traffic
officer. ought 10 have brains enough
To- distinguish between a fragrant
8 riolator of the law. to the danger of
; the public and mere passive VIC
4 Iator. perhaps 10y accident. or maybe
through a lack of acquaintance with
local traffic rules. IL isn't necessary
4 for traffic officer To bark like dog
~ man. much less. TO run him in"
. II he happens TO slip "a cog in passing
/ through our cie, tnoroughfares. The
stranger in our midst is entitled to
little consideration, even at the hands
+ OF our blue-cOats. dressed in ttheir)
little brief authority"
As il has come 10 us from frequent
. quarters. of late. it is quite as much
! he dog barking policy of the police
as it is the number of arrests that
have been made, that has given South
Bend its bad name amongst strangers
j that might otherwise pass this way.
We had believed that it was the work
Of the chronic railers against the ad-
ministration. and their beer guzzling
4 friends in other cities. that we're be-
ing responsible for this reputation
8 quite as much as 1T was the action of
the police. but quite evidently the
police have played no minor part. 1t
a is 10y no means necessarily true that
4 every automobile bearing a number
from another state, or perhaps only
one number. is loaded down with
: crooks or premeditated bar-fiies. They
more than occasionally carry very
i respectable people; quite as respect
able. though unoficially. as our
8 worthy mayor or any member of our
I board OF safety. or of our efficient"
police force.
There is no need of being particu-
larly rude with these strangers in our
midst 1t ought To be stopped Even
j if they do turn shy of the traffic rules
occasionally. civil word would no
8 doubt serve to put them right, and no
i further trouble result. 1t may be that
it is too much to expect of our over
worked" police, that they should have
time 10 be civil. but if it could be done
4 we dare say it would add greatly to
4 the good name of the city, and. as
well. 20 the public respect for the
s force That police officer should
vent all his spleen upon the stranger
& in order that he may be "a trife more
8 courteous To those whom he knows
know him, is more evidence of his be-
ing a big grouchy buffer. than of his
being possessed of any particular eff
hcicncy.
il is a matter for the board of
safety. and the chief OF police. TO take
into serious account, and Mayor Kel-
4 Ter. for the good OF the city. should
Insist that it be taken into serious
E account. We are building the Lincoln
4 Highway through here and are still
laboring for the Dixie Highway What
is the use if travellers are to be afraid
4 10 use them. cannot use them with
8 out taking chance of arrest for some
trivial thing or at least. gross insult ?
4 We are also inviting people To come
here 90 our big Interstate fair this
month. and how is il TO be with
them All that is necessary to meet
4 the situation is 10 have policemen and
s tramc officers on the streets that
4 have heads. and then bless them with
4 the privilege. and. next The discretion
To use them.
TOM MARSIIALLfZING ELIIIU
ROOT