The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-17

church last night Rev. Samuel
Dumvillc took as his text from
Psalms 1871, Except Jevohah
Keep the City. the Watchman
Waketh But In Vain" He spoke
as follows:
Shall Richmond be disgraced? or
perhaps, our question should be,
.Shail Richmond continue to be
disgraced?" .
No doubt the finer sensibilities
of many have been shocked dur
ing the Developments of the past
two weeks. First, the stir In the
police department. a grand Jury
investigation. and then the raid by
the army authorities. such a sue
C,essdon OF events until we have
begun to wonder what next"
Conditions have been 50 much bet
ter since the closing OF the open
saloons and the segregated dis
trict that we were inclined TO
look upon the few c1scs that
came tn light n sporadic. We
patted ourselves on the hack and
said: Well we know there In
some room for Improvement but
nevertheless VIC have pretty
decent city" Some said: 'Oh.
let well enough alone" So 1t
went on until II was found that
the police department was, to
say the least, lax In law enforce
ment. Also thAs there appears
10 exist In our city y certain
cliQur who wpnId even BE- willing
=. IN VCnIntf crimes IN order tlfsf
their plans might not be disturb
ed. or they themselves apprehend-
ed, Take the mutilation Of the
Lenahan memorandum book while
In the custody Of the clerk OF the
courts as an example. not to men
ton the sudden departure of ex-
Policeman Waller to unknown
parts, in order that he might not
appear before the grand jury.
should we not as a city bow our
head In shame when we read such
headlines as these In our daily
papers: Time for City to Wake
Up Is Crisp Warming Of Z. S.
Judge: Sen. Farnsworth Sends
Soldiers From Camp Lee to Make
Richmond Decent; "Richnond
May Re Cut On From Soldiers
Because OF Prevalence OF Vice
Here: "Pershing Quoted as Say
ing That Camp Lee Sent More
Infected Men to Europe Than
Any Other Camp In America
Mayor Admits That He Is Not
Able to Cope With the Situation"
etc.
Goes TO the Root
Rev, ], Sidney Peters. prohibitio
ON mi sioner. has forcihly and fair
tated the case. and goes to the 70.
4 the trouble that Ia responsible II
he present situation. ItSts not ths
'ur entire police department ID ba
n that the individual policemen a,
Tot willing to do their duty. thong
here may be some who have allie
themselves with the interests Of II
and probably have a,
epted brides, but the main reason II
heir derelictfon Of duty Is becaul
hey have no assurance that they vi
e upheld by those higher In Autho
~. Otncers take their cue from II
Ittitude of the men at the head
he department and govern themselv,
II there are mem be-
N the police force upon whom
hadow rests. that shadow should I
feared up. or said ofYicer removes
This should apply from the lowest I
he highest. II an officer wiliful
'efuses to do his duty he should /
en- loved. II because OF Incompetent
here Is also failure. should he n,
likewise be removed? Where enc
'ncy is demanded. men must be ed
lent.
We have been told that In a cour
In the army. when an ofiics
g being tried. IL 1t can be shown tn,
he did not do his best, or at lea
~ to do so, that will be taken ,
irst evidence OF his disloyalty. The.
ire war-times and the same te
'hould apply to our city, state. ar
rational officials. HE that Is not II
IL is against u.s.; is as true in II
political and social world az in II
moral and spiritual. II our ofncia
'efuse to do their duty or are II
and the same can be pro-
m, we have the custer law by whic
hey can be removed from Office.
Admits Inability 10 Cope.
The mayor In a published stat
nent is quoted as saying that he r
fCnN<truAA ~ D