Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-16
WATCH OUT FOR TRICKS

WAlCH OUI FOK IKlCkS
TT THERE is any limit to political rot
tenness and indirection 1t appears to
be reached IN the hagrant and open at
tempts Of the city police to- get possession
Of one Sam Msloney, whose corroborated
evidence against the police was the sen.
sation Of the recent hearing. The District
Attorney vigorously denounces the pro-
gram. The police have been attempting
started against the city officials and
others he declares. which is not remark
complained of have been notorious. The
processes OF justice are in danger Of being
withered up IL witnesses are to be sub.
jected to intimidation 10y governmental
z authority and il treatment Of the accused
and others depends entirely on what
Judge or magistrate they are cited to
appear before. Yesterday, Tor instance.
q decision 10y Judge Martin was virtually
overrued by Magistrate Watson
The most significant featupe Of yestcr.
DAYS events however, was tho passage
Of words between Mr.. Rotan aud Mr.. John
Il. X. Scott. the Ware leader
"A court of record has ruled that Mr..
Scott has no standing in this case said
MIR. Rotan. "lf he can prove that have
been derclict in my office he should swear
out an affidavit before a court and pro.
ceed ;oi st me But he dare not do it,"
= you'll see what wen do to YOU NJ
--4ett is quoted as replying.
/. The incident, we believe. is well worth
study. Mr.. Rotan is the regular nominee
OF the Organization to succeed himself.
He has, for ethical reasons, refused to
accept the nomination oC the Town Meet
ing party. II the election Of Nlr. Rotdn
should bc taken for granted. it is within
the realm or possibilities thar the Wares,
by the use Of sticiers, might slip over a
candidate of their own. lima CINE the sit.
uation of the city if a successor to Mr..
Rotan should suddenly turn up in the
form OF a Ware follower, with a Ware Gov.
ernor at Harrisburg and no chance Of a
special attorney being appointed to
prosecute the cases against the men now
held for conspiracy to commit murder in
the Fifth Ward,
I'm these circumstances. it becomes abso-
lutely imperative that the Town Meeting
party be wary and make no mistake.
II can afford to do without = nominee for
District Attorney. More important than
any OF the major offices, perhaps, is con-
troll Of Councils, There, where men are
made slaves by dual office-holding and
other methods. lies the secret of gang
control There was the power that pre-
vented the Blankenl urg Administration
from being complete success Let con-
trol of Councils be taken from the gang
and citizens can be certain that no de-
bauchery such has recently character
ized government will be practiced. Let
the Town Meeting party, therefore, con
centrate on Councils and It's candidates
for Receiver of Taxes, Register of Wills
and City Treasurer and not name a candi.
date for District Attorney. Let it empha-
size. however, the danger OF assuming
that MIR, Rotan is certain of reelection.
We cannot run the risk Of any tricks
In the meantime, citizens, although
nauseated 10y the spectacle Of the police,
departments attempt to get control of the
person OF Maloney, will not be deluded as
10 the real situation. Msloney is but an
Incident. lf not one assertion Of his had
been corroboiated and not one had been
true. the mass # incidental evidence from
other witnesses was entirely convincing
as TO the use Of the police in politics, the
breaking down Of government. the prosti.
tuition Of authority TO factional aims and
the utter rottenness OF gang politics in
. Philadelphia. Maloney as a red herring
is merely amusing. The truth has been
too clearly revealed for red herrings to
be effective az this stage Of the game.
--2