The Detroit times., 1916-10-14
Commissioner COuZenS
And Judge Connolly Are
Doing Some Fine Team Work

When James CoUzers was 1aucr .Tf-
lice commissioner by Mayor Marx. who
announced that his appointee would be
given free hand. the new commissioner
first disappointed The Times by falling
to include in his letter Of acceptance the
conclusions he embodies in the order he
has issued two weeks after taking Office.
The new commissioner disappointed Us
again when pressed for the policy ne
would pursue in the matter Of the law
breaking and law-defying saloon. and
announced that he considered it de
batabe matter.
We were not alone in our disappoint-
ment in this particular, either.
1t was shared by every newspaper in
Detroit, either by word or tone.
Couzens heard from the entire Detroit
press for that slp-fnr statement so in
consistent with his oath of office.
He heard from the state press.
He heard from the pulpit One Detroit
minister, with rare courage, made 1t the
subject Of Sunday night sermon.
He heard from the people through the
newspapers and no doubt. from large
number of them direct
Judge Connolly made much Of the
opening the new commissioner gave him.
II is clear that the CouZens decision
that enforcement of the laws OF state
is not debatable matter was forced and
came under pressure, because he said,
originally, it would take him several
weeks to reach his conclusion, but the
victory for decency is none the less no
table. and the decision itself only slightly
less creditable.
The Times commends Couzens for his
stand and for the spirit of his order, and
stands ready to commend him again
when he demonstrates that it Is his IN
tention to follow up his word with action
that will bring results.
Promises from police headquarters
have been easy to get in the past few
years. and action almost an impossiDllty,
unless it was action that would suit some
political purpose.
Mayor Marx has made it practice in
his speeches to refer to Judge Connolly
as the reform candidate and has
charged the Judge as such, with fouling
Detroit's fair name and giving the city a
bad reputation around the country
This has been the mayors only answer
to the charges of Judge Connolly that
loose conditions and laxity in the enforce
ment of the laws have made Detroit d
wide-open town, with welcome sign oJt
for criminals of all classes.
Police Commissioner Couzens, the may
or's own appointee, says in the first para
graph of Fridays order to the superin-
tendent that "for nearly two week. ]
have been collecting information as 10 Che
lack of observation that j, being given %
the various laws and ordinances
And his order reads. in effect that tHc
result of his information bears out Judge
Connolly charges to the very letter.
Judge Connolly turned on the light anC
said to the people of Detroit. Look anr
see for yourselves.
He charged that the police commission
er then serving John Gillespie, had set ul
police despotiSm TO serve the admins
tration that gave him his appointment
and he charged that the department wa
being called upon TO serve political end
instead of running down criminals infest
ing the city.
Those charges were twice admtte
when Police Commissioner Gillespie re
signed. first by Gillespie in resigning, an