The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-29

THE NTCT INNE>TGG ALTON.
Tse members O. me Vice Commission should
uet be considered by the Council investigating
rcmn1ttee taa witnesses On whom it Will rely
Tor evidence in regard 10 conditions Of com
zerclal.zed vice IL Richmond. SueA con
rsption Of TIA Vice Commission by The commit
zee vii commit it IN advance to d serious blum
ser That may preclude any hope Of thorough
Investigation, such as the people o. Richmond
demand What the Vice Commission has done
10 TO lay the foundation tor the aQrk Of the
investigating committee by collecting and sum
uarizing the testimony Of tae Chief Of Police
and six police officers which testimony conelu
sively shows undue restraining influence on the
part Of certain of the Police Commissioners.
The purpose Of the Council committee Is to
ascertain what conditions have existed in the
Police Department Il place responsibility in
bad conditions are revealed and TO recon-.
mend action TO be taken by the Council. In
endeavoring TO perform that duty the commit
lee should and doubt not ~ill. call num-
Der Of witnesses to testify Mt FIRST hand to con
aitions a. they have observed them The Vice
Commissioners, 81 put on the stand might not
misfeasance or rnalfeasance in Office OF Gere,
fiction to duty Of immoral conduct. More
than likely they would not be able to give such
testimony as they themselves formed a body
OF investigation. not of detectives or nrosecu-
tors. But even could the Vice Commission not
give single valuable. frst-hand testimony, It
has presented to the Mayor tho frst-hand facts
as gathered by its investigation into condition.
The situation between the Vice Commission and
the Council committee is exactly similar TO that
which VIII exist between the committee and the
Council when the former makes ,ts report. The
committee VIII not be able to tell the Council
directly that II has seen members aH The Police
Commission or Police Department violating the
law. nlisusing the'r ofcial position, or anything
Ct similar mature, but does any one think
the Council will refuse to credit the report Of
IT'S committee because committeeman have not
themselves done detective work? Not at all.
The committee is appointed to investigate 70
Examine into conditions 10 report what is re
ported to It.
she Vice Commission fs a similarly cousti-
futad body. Most Of the evidence II has ia hear
aas sfdence For that reason II refused TO
alabf publication Of It and refused TO turn "
aser any duly constituted" body.
Put when the Mayor seemed disiucliued to push
TO definite conclusion the work which he had
himself inau guratcd, then IT vaa that the Vice
Commission put into definite form the evidence
IL had showing improper conduct and presented
It 10 tho Mayor thus practically nacessitating
definite action
Al present therefore, the investigating com
nlitteo has the best evidence the Vice Commis-
sion gathered That evidence is not drst-hand
information, but is what was told the commits
sion fnot under GATH by individual members OF
the police force
SO far as evidence affecting the conduct Of
ofnctais is concerned the Vice Commission has
done It's work. II has made IT'S recommends.
mons for the lettering OF conditions through Of.
fetal and legal action. II is now engaged in
another part OF It's work-perhaps the most I'm
portant part--which is that of studying the
sources Of supply and causes Of immortality due
not TO official action inaetion hut to social
and economic pressure. Any effort to throw
discredit the commits ,ou because its mem
hers may not he abls 10 give first hand testi,
nony before another investigating body will
NEE; with welEmeritod rebuke from fntelli-
gent public sentiment The fact thai the Vice
Commission may not be abie On the stand 70
give any direct evidence. any evidence other
than hearsay evidence. Viii not ri all signify
any lack Of thorougauess. any lack 81 accuracy
nor any lack Of reliability In the work Of the
commission. Following tie Ilae OF evideper
laid down in Specific rcuprt No 9 tho Council