New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-29
Woods Joins Mayor in IN
dorsing Measure to Es-
tablish Force.
ORGANIZED LABOR
OPPOSED TO BILL
Insists Constabulary Would Be
Used to BroWbeat the La
boring Glasses.
-r,on . 80 co,-.pondenl Q. r.s T-l.ln.. ]

from = Star Correspondent o. Tfe Tntlrsl
Albany. March 2s.-Msyor Mitchell
and Police Commissioner Arthur
Woods of New York City. through
letters to Chairman William J. Maier,
registered their Endorsement Of the
Horton-Wells state police bill this al
ternoon at a hearing before the As
sembly Ways and Means Committee.
Commissioner Woods wrote that the
state police could be Of great assist
ance 10 tho city police in running
down criminals outside OF the city.
particularly those who live in the city
and steal Just outside OF the line.
eve have had recently brought 10
our attention here said the Commits
sioner. leases of crime committed m
country districts, apparently by eF-
pcrienced criminals. whose work
showed such skill that nothing short
Of a well organized and efficient state
police could be expected TO discover
them and take them into custody
Mayor Mitchell wrote that It should
be made clear in tho bill that the state
police were not 10 interfere IN cities
or other municipalities which have
their own police force, but that the
local authorities should have the right
10 call on the Governor for aid from
the state police in case OF necessity.
with such changes" said the May
or's letter. 81 do not see why the CITY
Of New York should make any obJec-
ton TO the proposed measure. IL Is
generally conceded that rural distress
require better policing than they have
at present
Labor Opposes State Police.
The principal objection to the bill
came from organized labor. whose rep
rcsentatiyes charged that the labor
ing class would be browbeaten and run
down By the proposed constabulary.
Major John c. Groome. commander OF
the Pennsylvania constabulary, denied
their accusations.
Representatives Of labor and tho
Socialist party declared that 20 create
a state police would be the same as
letting loose lot of American Cos
sacks TO ride Up and down the state
"a strike breakers. brOwbeatlng the
laboring class. The Pennsylvania con
stabulary. they charged, was made un
Of Western gunner who had greatly
abused their authority.
"Ihc fact that Penn FlFanla mas
state police is no reason why We should
have IT," shouted James T. Holland,
president of the State Federation o.
Labor. 1--WE had a state police force
here when Now York City went into
the Catskills for its water supply. Now
Just go into those rural districts and
ask the people what they think OF It.
a large number of other labor and
Socialist party men spoke against the
bill. Adjutant General Louis W.
Stotesbury also opposed II. lie said
that with a slight amendment to the
present law force such as was desired
could be obtained from the national
guard.
Colonel William G. Rice. State Civil
Service Commissioner. and George T.
KEYS. secretary Of the Civil SERVED
Reform Association, opposed the bill
because IL contained no civil service
requirements. Their opposition was
withdrawn. however. when it wa
agreed to include civil service qualiG-
cations.
Most Of the Brown committee bills,
the purpose of which is 10 effect Il
large financial saving for New YorA
CITY. were reported from the Senate
Cities Committee favorably this even
ing. There was considerable opposition
TO the "pay-as-y ou-go" bill in the com
mittec. but 10 was reported with the
understanding that the opposition can
fight il out i'm tho Senate.