The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-01-25
Learning from the Japs.


Men who have read something about
how they do things in Japan are con-
WINGED that Kenosha can learn lot
from the Japs Over there the young
men, and young women too, are taught
two things. One OF them is obedience
TO their parents and the other
is respect for the country and it's
regular officials.
There may be obedience and reverence
for parents taught in Kenosha and
some people may have respect for the
law and the men who are sworn to en-
force, it, but regard and respect
for the law has never reached the
stage whore they might be called
epidemic. There has been no cause for
quarantine in the city. A lot Of those
excellent fellows who have come into
Kenosha from other countries seeing
the land Of the free and the home Of
the brave, have already taken on a
wrong conception. To them the land
of the free seems to be land in which
they are free to violate laws with i'm
punity and the home Of the brave is
supposed to be something that demands
show of bravery in contending with
the regular officials of the law. These
fellows are meek enough when they
get into the big court, but they seem
to hold it as a mark of their advance
in citizenship to dangle at their belt
the sealps of the police officers that
they have assaulted or attempted to
assault. When q police officer walks
up to lot of these fellows and tells
them "In the name of the law l
arrest you," or he may be accustomed
to use the shorter form and say ''Come
along, your pinched. The fellow be-
gins to size up the police officer and
in to whip him and get away. The
records Of the police department. do not
show that great number Of them
have gotten away or that any large
proportion of the police officers have
been whipped,
Over in Japan when a police officer
tells a man to keep off the grass he
keeps. When he tells him that he is
under arrest by his maiesty's govern
ment he goes along as meek as a lamb
and stays meek until after he has
settled up by paying his fine. A lot
Of fellows in Kenosha-and they are
not all foreigners--seem to think that
it is part of their duties as citizen,
or near citizen, to dictate to police
officer whether or not they are subject
to arrest. They seem to think that
"come along" of the officer is a sort
of a suggestion rather than an impera-
tive command. Some of them brag
over the fact that they have resisted
officers. Respect for the law is the
basis of all government and it is
mighty hard to expect good citizens
from men who fail in this regard, A
police officer is the direct representa-
tive of the body polite. There is
nothing personal in his laying of
hands on the prisoner.
There is no reason for resistance. If
q man is being falsely arrested, if the
police officer is exceeding his authori-
ty, he has proper redress in the
courts and he has no trouble getting
into court with his grievance.
Judge Randall has recently set an
example by insisting on heavy fine
for men who resist police officers. 1T
is to be regretted that the boys and
girls who feel no respect for parental
restraint, can not be subjected to the
same sort of penalties. The police of
ficer may not invade the family circle
without a complaint. Possibly the
real solution of the lack of parental
regard is the proper use of that time
honored implement-the slipper. We
have a feeling that if this remedy is
applied early enough in the case that
more drastic measures will not be
needed later. Lack of parental respect
is to be regretted even though the
body polite may not be able to reg
ulate it. Lack of respect for the law
is something that can be regulated.
Kenosha must teach its native born
and its adopted citizens, to respect the
law. The police officer is justified in
using his club and his revolver if
necessary to bring this proper respect
for his authority and the courts are
expected to levy tribute to the fullest
extent if necessary to teach this les
son. What is more, that action on the
part of the police department. and the
courts should be backed up with. the
strongest possible public sentiment.
Let people know that Kenosha is a
place where law is respected and
Kenosha will be one of the best places
in the world to live in.