Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-20

of law and order, but have RENAME,
strangely silent, and have not vol
Iunteered their knowledge to assis
in bringing the probably guilty Il
justice by trial. Outside of thu
police and other public officials o
| the city and county we have hat
but a few persons voluntarily ap
pear before us 10 give testimony
that would enable US to establish
the probable guilt OF persons con
nected with the riot.
Causes of the Riot.
The contributing causes are man,
and are known to large part o.
the public, as we'll as 10 this jury
They are:
First: Uncomfortable crimes and
assaults upon women and girls.
Second: Contempt for law and
constituted authority, no matter
how such contempt was engendered
Third: Organized and strong
propaganda existing and prevalent
whose purpose is the downfall Of
our institutions, the destruction Of
Our economic policies, and the en-
rendering of class hatred. 1t mat
tiers not by what name this effort
is called, its purpose is no less
deadly whether it be styled |. W.
W.ism, bolshevism, sovietism, or
anarchy, or whether it be preached
from a soap box, or in luxurious
parlors.
Fourth: The general prevalence
of the greatest social unrest that
ever before existed The people
are irritated and restless. The rea-
sons for this condition are many.
A few may be cited, particularly,
for example:
(a) The high cost of living.
(b) The difference between labo,
and capital with resultant strikes
and lockouts of unusual number and
degree.
(c) The unsettled condition con-
fronting the unsettled soldier, their
Ccondition of mind and the attitude
of the public toward them.
Police Department.
We believe that high morale is
required in a police force in order
to attract and hold good men as
we'll as to make such men efficient.
AS means OF developing and in
sitting such morale we recommend:
(a) That the city. at its expense,
conduct the legal defense of police
men sued for damages growing out
of arrests by them.
We find that on March /, 1898
Ordinance No. -3447 signed by
Mayor Bemis, was passed which re-
quired the city attorney to defend
policemen from damage suits
brought against them for alleged
unlawful acts committed by them
while in the, performance of their
duties.
Under this ordinance the police
have received legal protection
automatically from the city attorney
until April l, 1919.
On April IS it was overridden by
resolution refusing legal protec-
ton to a police officer. Since that
date there is no record that the
commission has furnished such legal
protection to the policemen of this
city.
Recommend Ordinance Enforced
AS the result of the withdrawal of
this support to the police some per-
sons charged with unlawful acts
have brought suit against police Of
ficers with the probable intent of
intimidating police officers general
ly.
We recommend that this Ordi-
nance No. 3447 be impartially en-
forced.
(b) That the city, at its expense,
provide medical attendance for
policemen who become i'll or injured
while in discharge of their duties.
(c) Whereas it has been shown
that the police lack proper fire.
arms, ammunition, accommodations,
equipment, protection and training,
we recommend that the city, at its
expense, provide standard firearms
and ammunition and furnish same
to the police department..
(d) In order that the personal
appearance of the police be kept at
high standard, we recommend that
the Inspector should be ordered to
have police uniforms cleaned and
pressed as often as required, and
that the expense for this service
shall be borne by the city, and that
provisions for this work be made
at the city police headquarters.
(e) We heartily concur in the
recommendation of the military au-
thorities that the police be we'll
trained in the use of riot weapons,
the tactics Of mass formation and
action as distinguished from indi-
vidual action, and the efficient
handling of, and dispensing of large
crowds.
Say Police fearless"
(f) We find the personnel of the
police department good. The men
are industrious, fearless and intelli-
gent. Some are we'll trained. There
are quite a number who are not,
but the latter are training as fast as
could be, expected.
We find by the evidence that the
officers who arrested Will Brown,
the negro, had much difficulty to
prevent the negro from being lynch
ed at the time of his arrest by sew
eral hundred enraged citizens of the
South Side. This demonstration was
reported to police headquarters, and
IN turn this information was commu-
nicated to Chief Eberstein, who, at
this time, called police headquarters
by telephone requesting information,
We find that another crowd as
sembled at the Bancroft school,
which was dispersed by two officers
Saturday afternoon. This was also
reported to police headquarters.
Threats to hang Will Brown were
prevalent.
We find that reports came by tel