The sun., 1918-08-12
ENRTGHT SAVES IN
HALF YEAR $777,15S
Report Gives Remarkable Fig.
urcs Showing Upbuilding
Of Department.
POLICE ON WAR BASIS
Draft Problem Is Being Met
While Traffic and Reserve
Conditions Are Bettercd.

Although wartime demands nave SUD-
jected the New York Police Department
to unprecedented expenses during the
present administration. SO many econo-
mics In man power have been erected
and so many leaks have been calked
that Commissioner Enrights first semi
annual report to the Mayor, as made
public yesterday, shows a saving for the
city which certainly will have exceeded
a million dollars by the end OF the year
In the period ended June 30 Commits
s,oner Enright had found ways OF cut
ting operating costs by sI71,15S.23. re-
gardless Of the fact that $24o,575 went
to the families OF policemen who had
been taken into the United States mill
tary service or such men, to whose
dependents the Fenner law requires the
lily to pay the difference between their
civil service salr.ies and the amount
they draw as soldiers. there a.: $50
members OF the uniformed iorce and
twenty-seven civilian employees with the
colors.
AS great liability as this item ap-
pears the Commissioner has managed
to turn II into an asset Instead OF fill
Ing the war vacancies with new men
Mr.. Enright has taken steps TO obtain
the exemption OF l0.0s6 men remaining
In the department and has closed UP
the ranks.
The greatest economy reported is in
the item of special patrolmen. of whom
abou1 1000 were employed through
1917 /At a gross cost Of S1.203,361. On
January 1, 1918, 72< special men we're
on the rolls of the department and this
number had been reduced to 34S on
June 80.
Commissioner Enright found that
many Of these men were used to safe
guard private property at the city's ex-
pense and arranged that they be paid
by tho benefiting corporations. Here
sS26.6S0.50 was saved in a half year.
Savings Made in Rentals.
missioner has eliminated 1t, whether the
items have involved only a few dollars
or have run up into the thousands For
one thing the merging OF branch detec-
tive bureaus with station houses saved
t6.240 in rentals and $500 in upkeep,
and while Mr.. Enright was on the sub
ject OF real estate cuts he discovered
that city property was available which
made II unnecessary to renew the leases
Of the 2S3d precinct stable the Seventy
second precinct stable and the Traffic d
station house. Also he made change
In the boarding arrangements for the
mounts OF Traffic D. which means
saving Of $3.50 a month on each horse.
. small matter in itself. but amounting
In a year to $1,000
Again Commissioner Enr.ght decided
that horse and wagon were not vital
to the work OF boiler inspection. and
saved $500 in six months: he quit the
practice OF delivering engineers certif-
Gates by patrolmen messengers and
was $%5s more ahead by June 30: he
changed the method of distributing de-
partmental mail and the resultant saw
ing was 5000 by the end OF the first
half Of tho year.
Seventeen automobiles were retired
from service. The men operating them
were returned to regular police duty
and $l2.750 was clipped OFF the years
upketp BILL Another Sl.a45 was saved
by the condemnlns Of three motorcycles.
the storing OF seventy-nine others and
discontinuance OF the use OF seven BIZ
cycles BY not filling clerical vacancies
$25.O7l.l2 went to the credit side of
Enrisht's ledger. and suspension OF the
Police Bnlletin-of which the Commits
sioner remarks These effusions were
model purveyors OF useless Information"
stopped a drain OF $40 month.
Other savings were effected on coal
consumption in Brooklyn and Que.ns,
s2,o2s.e5; discontinuance Of special
leased line In the telephone bureau.
sl,S7s; discontinuance OF leasel lines to
branch detective bureaus, 3c,So1.Je; DIS
continuance OF lease OF ac-ountin, ma
chimes and special printing. $40. and
difference In contracts in bureau Of re-
pairs and supplies, s22.S7o.
Getting Exemption for Policemen,
The arguments in favor Of exemptlng
New York policemen from the draft,
which Commissioner Enright set forth
&c such good effect on his recent trim TO
Washington, are recited az some length
in the report the Comm! seioner warn
ing Mayor Hylsn that with the extern.
sion OF the draft age limits practically
every able bodied policeman would be
absorbed by the army
mo comparison is possible between
New York city and any other municipal
ity In this country" says the report. at
Is the prime gateway OF the country's
commerce 1t Is the financial centre of
the country, II not OF the world from II
radiate all activities looking 10 the
proper and efficient conduct of the war
and the maintenance OF the prestige and
power of this country In the eyes Of the
world. II Is estimated that IS per cent
OF the soldiers and so per cent. OF their
supplies leave from this port
"A disaster In or 20 New York city.
directly or indirectly attributable to in
sufficient or inefficient policing would be
multiplied and exaggerated a thousa nd
times in the enemy press 1t would pro-
vide stock from which countless argu-
ments could be drawn with which to en-
courage the tagging spirits OF the enc
mics Of this country.
Possibilities OF disorder are ever
present. Labor is restless; pernicIous
and insidious forms OF enemy propa,
ganda are constantly being unearthed
traditional race feeling is smouldering
many OF the Federal and city govern
ment regulations, vitality necessary to
the successful conduct OF the war. have
bsen misconstrued by the foreign ele-
ment, and some OF them have no doubt
been Intentionally CARRIED by the agents
or enemy governments with Interior mo-
tives
The argument has been advanced
that II the New York city Police DEPART
ment received any special legislative
consideration in the matter of exempt
Ing its members from the draft every
other city would demand and could rea-
sonably expect TO receive similar con-
cessions
New Works Exceptional Position.
AS has been pointed out previously.
there Is no comparison--particula
from the war standpont-between New
York and any other city In the country.
Chicago. Philadelphia. Boston and San
Francisco do not hear the brunt of
handling and forwarding the food am
rnunition and clothing intended for our
own and allied armies-New York does
that: those cities do not have the han
ding OF the financing OF the various for
eign government loans and private en-
terprises that are Of foremost considera-