Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-11

be legislation enacted which would pre-
clude the possibility of police activity in
politics. We commend very highly the pro-
posal of his Honor the Mayor TO draft a
bill to be presented to the next Legislature
with the view TO divorce completely the po'
lice from politics We urge him on in this
endeavor with all the moral support at our
command.
we have learned that inmates of the
underworld readily subscribe to fines, re-
garding these fines as the price of license.
The Grand Jury looks with aversion at the
practice of fining these people. We regard
the fines as blood" money whether that
money be paid to the State fine, TO the
corrupt ONCE or politician as protection
money. or to the INSCRIPTIONS lawyer as a
fee for defending them and their trade.
We therefore, urge that the system of post
poned and continued hearings be done away
with as far as possible and that prison
terms supplant fines in dealing with these
people
when properly carried out by reliable
and trustworthy officers, the quarantine has
been found to be the most effective remedy
for dealing with vice conditions where II has
been found impossible 10 obtain the neces-
sary information TO convict OF crime. I'm
fortunately, quite frequently the most in
efficient officers are used for the purpose,
sent from the outlying districts
I'm many instances II was shown that the
officers supposed to be doing quarantine
duy were on the most friendly and inti-
mate terms with the inmates and propri.
etors OF the houses they were supposed 10
guard.
Another weakness OF this system Is in
the fact that the quarantine is only in force
for certain period Of the day Where this
course is the only one that can be adopted
to effectively curb or prevent existing evils
we would recommend better class of of
fcers detailed for this purpose, 10 be
changed frequently and that the quarantine
cover the full "a hours OF the day,
ABOLISH VICE SQUAD.
we find that where officers were used to
testify in tenderloin eases they were
marked thereafter, and useless in the work
so far as that part OF the service Is con-
ceFned. We recommend that the vice squad
be abolished and that its chores be ANAL
gamated with the detective bureau We
further urge that women's consorts and
habitues OF the tenderloin, well known TO
court officers, be excluded from the hear
ings in the Magistrates courts and in other
courts, so that as far as possible that in
tegrlty OF the police bureau may remain
intact.
I'm addition to the more elaborate and
generally patronized places Of gambling. we
find growing evil In the use of the corner
cigar store and pool room as gambling CEN
ters and bawdy houses. Here where there
10 HAppoScu 70 be AoAhlnB out an Innocent
cigar store or pool room open TO the eyes OF
the world. there is behind a wooden parti-
tion in the back part of such doors or mora
Rdroitly concealed, regular gambling dens
consisting OF slot machines, poker games.
crap games and bawdy houses. all run for
the advantage Of the proprietor who dement's
financially thereby. No evidence was sub
mittsd that policy was being played in the
city OF Philadelphia
no ACCOUNTING SYSTEM.
We hnd that AZ the Central station, and.
no doubt, the system exists generally, that
the magistrates have no system OF account
ing for warrants issued BY them.
This Is = matter which involves thu
depriying Of q man OF his libsrty-the prin-
eiple Il older than the Magma charta War
rants we're issued Ia large numbers bv
Magistrates, and the Magistrates issuing
them kept no record whatever, leaving the
70 the police efficer charged with
serving the warrant This Is = dangerous
practice, ana We protest yehemently against
t. fhe evils Of such : system can be !
imagined when u = remembered that thA