Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-18
POLITICS SKATERS
EFFICIENCY

WE BELIEVE that the Mayor and Di.
w rector Wilson will whip cadets and
othes degenerate human beings off the
streets Of South Philadelphia. They will
do SO because otherwise police in the uni
form Of the United States would attend
to the Job, and attend to it thoroughly.
But in view of the careless denials week
ago by both men of the existence Of any
abnormal conditions whatever, and of
their monstrous failure last summer to
make good the promises they publicly
gave utterances TO, we are frankly skepti-
cal Of a change Of heart on the part Of
either one of them. We doubt IL either
Is driven by a strong sense Of duty or
II either has any sincere desire to smash
the political control which is driving men
of the force into organization for their
own protection and is holding up to sus-
picion and scorn many policemen who
want to perform their duties, but are
wedged out Of the chance to do so.
We have no proof of coluslon or graft
There are many rumors afloat, but we
have not been able to back any of them
up with affidavits. We could hardly ex-
pect to in view Of the slippery methods
we do know THAI the opinion is gen
eral in the force itself that the orders Of
some ward leaders are of more impor-
tance than official orders, and we know,
IN addition, that any Director of Public
Safety, unless wholly incompetent, could
have prevented easily a condition of af.
fairs so detrimental to the public interest
that the United States found it necessary
70 intervene.
We do not believe that the good name
of Philadelphia has been dragged in the
mud to the extent many people think.
Every city has some citizens who are
inclined to challenge the claims of other
communities to supremacy in vice. Nor
is the situation in any large American
town such that we would emulate It,.
Vice is stealthy. 1t sneaks in the back
door at night and prowls in dark places.
But it is likewise smeared with the ra.
dunn Of sin and nothing is so easy as its
eventual Identification. What Philadel-
phia objects to is not that better condi.
tions about the navy yard are assured
by recent publicity, but that the police
force has been revealed as carelessly
conducted, comfortably minded organiza.
ton. subject to the jurisdiction of mere
politicians and prostituting the enforce
ment OF law and order to the exigencies
of other than public interests. 1t laments
the fact that the police, having once been
taken out of politics, are again in politics.
It is Inundated that a cancer could have
been nourished in a great section of the
city and the chief executive have beer
20 ignorant of the fact that he denied II
vehemently, then mildly accepted it. and
finally, under compulsion, agreed to ex
else T.. II is deplorable that the morale
of the police force should have been shat
tered by political interference and that
the obvious effort OF men in high Office
70 condone impossible conditions shoult
teach private officers to feel that responsi
bility for certain forms of lawlessness Il
not theirs.
It is the duty OF good citizens to co
operate now with the Department of Pub
lie Safety in making South Philadelphia
safe for the nations wards. revolu
tion in police control thereafter will b,
imperative, and we believe that it will b
brought about by the compulsive fore
Of public opinion.
sNEEDDTUNJB NuTkynCnn