The Detroit times., 1916-09-26
NO COMPROMISE
WITH CRIME,
, SAYS +. II. CROUL
ocontinued from Page oue,.

held public positions, once during
a Democratic administration and
once during Republican regime
lie was appointed TO the water CON-
mission by Mayor Maybury and nam
cd police commissioners by Mayor
Breitmeyer. Now he is threatened
with third call to the public ser
vice. this time again by Democrat.
"Mr. Croul" said q reporter for
The Times, "slnce you have become
the human issue In the present cam
paign, would you outline your activi-
ties In driving crime from Detroit,
in the event OF your becoming police
commissioner?
mo, oh. no." he replied hastily;
that would be poor taste and on the
other hand | really don't know yet"
Modesty Looms Large
Mr. Croul Is a big man physically,
but larger still in his modesty. That
is what impresses one first of all
about the man who won fame as
"the best police commissioner De
troit ever had"
Mr.. Croul doesn't care much about
that description because, he says
and here his modesty looms large
again-that Il was the good people
OF Detroit and the press that gained
for him that title. that they were so
very kind and helpful and that he
could not have made success OF
his administration without that CO.
operation.
The business men OF the city,
upon whom we must rely largely
for the success OF the city, are
Sinking their civic duty" said Mr.
Croul.
They should devote more time 10
public affairs, knock of business an
hour or two week, and in every
way try 10 hold up the hands of the
public official who Is trying to i'm
prove conditions. My business suf
fered much when | was police COM
missioner because / left many OF
the details 10 others while | was at
tending TO the affairs OF the city
One should take public Office with
view of rendering a public ser
vice and not for personal profit,
prestige or ACKNOWLEDGEMENT"
Mr.. Croul, who is president OF the
Detroit Oak Betting company, other
manufacturing concerns, and an off,
Ger In bank, has made his success
because he studied the business he
engaged In and mastered IL 10 such
an sNtent that It suffered when he
did not give IL his personal atten-
uon.
---- No -Tlme for Boosting
Ilnqntfa h4e Yv,nA.at,. a
talk with Mr.. Croul long until he
discovers that he is talking with a
big and a masterful man. Like many
! other men who do big things, he
hasn't time TO boast about them. and
II becomes so much a matter OF rou-
tine meeting difficulties and over.
coming them that he takes Il as a
matter OF fact and let's II go at that
As Mr.. Croul sits I'm his office. one
OF the prettiest I'm Detroit. with a
view OF the Detroit river az far as
the eye can reach, he swings gently
in his revolving office chair and his
eye royes up and down the river. A
police boat flashes past his window
with an officer In spick and span
blue with the brass buttons flashing
in the sun. A smile breaks across
his ample mouth as ne notes the
we'll brushed uniform and the bur
nished buttons, for that is a relic Of
the Croul administration. When Mr..
Croul took charge OF the police de.
partment the men did not keep their
uniforms well brushed and in other
ways paid little attention to personal
appearance n was one OF his the
cries that cleanliness is not only
next to Goodness, but that II makes
for efficiency. II makes n man re-
spect himself and others and makes
others respect him and have conf.
dence in him. II makes him n bet.
ter officer, thinks Mr. Croul, and so
before Mr.. Croul started in 10 clean
up the city he first cleaned up his
own force.
MY, how tho newspapers ioked
me about the white gloves" he
laughed. but Il made a better force
and 7 am sorry 10 see that some OF
the officers have forgotten the lesson
Of neatness"
A Man Who Makes Good
Mr. Croul said he had never want
cd a public Office and while he had
been Republican all his life. he
was content 10 see other men have
the offices. "Only," he added. Il al
ways worked and used what little
influence had for the men con.
ceived 10 he the best for the place.
When was called 70 serve the pub
| lie ! tried in my feeble way 10 serve
faithfully and very kind people
and press have said did"
Again The modesty. hut one talk
| ing To this klndlv.faced. clever and
modest big man knows instinctively
that he would be likely 20 succeed
wherever placed II he had started
10 manufacture toothpicks instead Of
leather belts and betting. one feels
that Mr.. Croul would be gazing out
Of his Office window on an acre or
two OF busy factories turning out
| toothpicSs instead Of looking out
over n busy factory engaged in turn
| ing out leather goods II one were
TO sum up his impressions OF Mr.
| Croul and had TO do II In a word q
would be: "A man who makes
good"
''lf 7 were 10 take charge OF tho
! police department again don't
know what ! would do except as
did before" be said. "T would prob.
ably find such different conditions
! The town has grown wonderfully
since I left police headquarters. and
its great prosperity has attracted
many criminals and updesirables TO
| the CITY