The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-20

anu DurglarleS now rampant In this
city. They show too plainly the in
efficiency. helplessness and worthless
ness Of the police protection for which
we pay largely and receive little"
Dan Costigan's Fate.
In New York public apprehension
over a disturbing state of affairs was
expressed when Honest Dan Costigan,
an officer who had been prominent In
unearthing every important police
scandal for a decade, was set down in
rank and his squad scattered, the ex-
preston taking note OF the fact also
that thieves and gamblers seemed to
have a curious pre- knowledge of what
was going to happen to Costigan.
Public prosecutors do not at all
agree with police chiefs In the state
ment that there is no crime wave. AL
most without exception they recognize
the facts, though they are not agreed
as to the causes. Most of them doubt
that returning soldiers are responsible
| This notion being secuted by District
Attorney Swami of New York, Harry
C. Lewis of Kings, Louis II. Cappelle
Of Cincinnati and others. But they are
In agreement that there is portent-
Gus stirring Of evil forces all over the
country. and most of them believe that
the work Of agitators Of the /. w. w
type may be blamed as much as any
other possible factor. 1t is pointed out
that when ignorant or poorly informed
citizens are taught that the Govern
ment is bad, that all capital Is evil,
that the country needs a revolution by
violence, the certain results are unrest
and a disposition to hold life, property
| and authority in contempt. one OF
! the interesting contributions made on
this subject comes from Samuel p.
Rotan, District Attorney in Philadel-
phia. Mr.. Rotan, along with other
prominent prosecutors, was asked by
THE Sun to present his views as re-
CARDS the present crime wave and to
make recommendations for dealing
with 1t. He replies sucCinctly:
There can be no doubt that this
country is experiencing the inevitable
after the war crime wave. Philadelphia
along with all other large cities. has
been witnessing for the past four
months a very alarming increase in its
daily record of serious violations OF the
law, especially highway robberies,
burglaries and wanton assaults. The
cause of this condition is twofold:
Generally speaking the feelings OF un-
rest and responsibility that has come
as a reaction to the stress and strain
and unified action OF war times; spe
officially speaking the discharge of
large numbers of unskilled laborers
from the high salaried war industries.
end their consequent inability or I'M
willingness to resume legitimate work
on a more modest scale. The real
malefactors come from this class OF
men land Of course from among the
professional crooks who take advan-
tage OF the unusual conditions) and
rot to any great extent from the ranks
of the discharged soldiers, as has been
unjustly claimed.
l ITO counterfeit this serious condition
of affairs It is necessary TO institute
both repressive and preventive meas
ures
1.-THE most efficacious repressive
measure is the speeding UP of the ma
} chinery of prosecution after an arrest
has been made. Defendants should be
promptly indicted and tried as soon as
possible, always conserving, however.
the rights of the defendants, and then
II guilty tho prisoner should be Sc
verely punished. In times like the
present 1t is peculiarly true that SEN
fences for crime are to be based not
alone on punishment of the individual
offender but on their deterrent effect
upon the public at large.
There are other repressive meas
ures OF almost equal importance.
Wants Preventive Measures.
laws should be passed-or II al
ready enacted should be strictly en-
/ forced-restricting the sale and use OF
, firearms; the traffic in. drugs should
, be brought more thoroughly under
| control than is now the case; the
{ police should be divorced from all po-
} litical Affiliations. In these three sit
nations lie a multitude of evils that
stimulate the present outbreak OF
, crime. Back of all this, however
/ there should be set in motion a vast
amount of preventive work. without
!, which the sternest repressive meas
, ures will only serve to scratch the
surface of conditions We face. In
) dustrial and economic readjustments
! should be started Immediately SO as
to quiet the widespread spirit of un-
\ rest that is having its outlet in crime
3 Work should be got for the un,
! employed; social conditions should be
. improved so that normal family life
can be conserved-the breakup oil
families is often the first step TOWARD
e adding to the criminal group. Thi,
e can be effected by better housing and
o the extension OF public recreationa