The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-11

I
plenty of the coin of the realm and
they are spending it as fast as they
/ can.
| "All the industries are running at
Ibreak-neck speed and no one thinks for
a minute that times will be different
at the conclusion of the war. The OPP
posite view is taken by most of the
people in this vicinity
| Stolen Automobiles
II was pleased to read the interest
ing editorial Many Automibles Are Be-
ing Stolen which appeared in Fridays
Age-Herald." said Ted N. Cottrell of
Withington's pharmacy, yesterday.
| Many automobiles have been stolen
| of late by youthful automobile Joy
rider thieves but the majority of these
cars are recovered the next day by the
police department. The police cannot
be blamed to a great extent for these
thefts, as the owners of the cars are
responsible, to a large degree, for their
machines being taken by these daring
young men. They leave their machines
on the downtown streets unlocked and
unguarded.
II have been informed by several
police officials that when these youth
| full automobile thieves are captured by
the police. the owners of the stolen au-
tomobiles seldom prefer charges
against them, so what can the police
do?
The public should bear in mind that
the present police force only consists
of 100 officers with a territory of 81
| square miles to cover each day.
TOO much cannot be said about the
good and efficient work Chief of Police
Martin Eagan is doing with his hand
full of policemen"
A Pertinent Plea
| The undertaking establishments of
this city should be exempted from all
taxes and licenses" said Elnius M.
Blanton, local business man.
1.-THE undertakers are called upon to
make many charity calls with their
ambulances, and never receive any COM
pensation for their services. In many
instances the city will call an ambu-
lance for the police department, and the
undertakers are put to the expense of
serving the city.
| 1.-THE high prices Of gasoline and oils
| makes it mighty hard on the undertake
charge and pay large license to OPP
crate their machines.
CAS- a whole the undertakers of the
Birmingham district are the Warmest-
earted men you can find. and they
never grumble when they make these
free calls. In fact they are always
willing to help any one in trouble"
l. Police Are Busy People
| Y,,,;,c yoffo tbo wall Lpouyp iewaIAr
was explaining yesterday how busy the
police was kept at all times, and how
the criminal element prof1ted by it.
II have been told quite often that the
Birmingham police force was over
worked" said Mr.. Jaffe, "but that fact
was never brought so forcibly to my
attention until a few days ago in the
courtroom of Judge H. B. Abenethy.
Some days ago my porter, negro
named Harris, was apprehended for
stealing a lot Of stuff at my place OF
business and his preliminary trial was
scheduled before Judge Abenethy. Nat
urally I was quite interested, as sew
eral hundred dollars was involved and
wanted to know what the police had
done about the case. went to court
to hear of the progress In the invest1-
| cation
ITO my surprise not single officer
appeared at the courtroom. telepohned
and inquired and got an answer that
all were busy. and could not appear In
court so I stepped in the case and just
barely did manage to have the negro
bound over to the grand jury as his
attorneys were making an aWful nght
to have him set free, owing to lack or
prosecution"
Financial Market Firm
THE financial markets show remark
able resisting power against ADVERSE
news" said Henry Clews in his weekly
financial review. Neither the threat
ened strike Of the railroads last week
nor the attempted tieup of transporta-
/ ton in New York city this week exert
any noticeable effect upon the stock ex-
change
THE concessions demanded by railroad
labor created surprisingly little alarm.
probably because of belief that present
trade activity would largely compensate
the railroads for increased OUTLAWS and
that net earnings. though diminished
would not seriously suffer.
In the case of the railroads, it was
noted that the new arrangements for
an eight-hour law did not go into .ef-
feet until January /; that it's effect was
Ito be studied by the government, and
that If really injurious to the railroads
the interstate commerce commission
4 might be- induced to grant them an adj
vance in rates as compensation. Fur
ther the constitutionality of the new law
is to be tested before the supreme court,
= whose decision will be watched with
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