Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-05-05
EDITORIAL PAGE
HASKIN LETTER
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN
A NEW NATIONAL POLICE FORCE

Washington, p. c., May 1.-For three
years, until quite recently. the freight
cars in a small southern railway ter
minal had been Systematically and regu-
larly robbed Thousands of dollars
worth of merchandise were stolen, and
seldom did week pass without new
robbery being reported. The railroad
police force seemed absolutely unable
to handle the situation. 1t was always
following up red hot clues, but never
made an arrest.
This series of robbcries, which had
lasted so long that the robbers had come
to regard the freight cars as source OF
steady income, came suddenly TO an
end few months ago, when nineteen
m ,nbers of the yard crew at the ter
minal, including yardmasters. conductors,
brakemen, firemen and engineers. were
placed under arrest.
This arrest was made by a police or
ganization of the American government,
and one of which most Americans never
heard 1t is known as the secret service
and police section Of the United States
railroad administration. 1t IS now the
largest police organization in the world.
It's chief is William J. Flynn, formerly
heid of the secret service of the treas
nry department, that romantic organiz-
zation which protects the president,
catches counterfeiters. and during the
war, did its share of the spy-hunting.
Not only is this new police organiza-
ton almost unknown IN this country,
but few persons have any conception of
the extent and character of the crimes
with which it has to deal. Millions of
dollars worth of freight are stolen from
IL. antsf nf
by railroad employees, according to Chief
Flynn, and the rest by well organized
gangs of professional looters. To stop
this tremendous leak the transporta
tio1 system is Elynns new job.
When William &. McAdoo. formerly
director general of the United States
railroad administration, took charge of
the operation Of the roads, he invited
Flynn to become chief Of the railroad
police He was given broad power in
organizing his force, which today is the
largest and best paid police unit in the
world. Scotland Yard with II 600 men
was formerly the largest single depart
ment under one head, with New York
City's police department Of 11090 men
second in size. Chief Flynn has under
him 10000 men. most of whom were
employed as police agents by the various
government control.
Under the present arrangement. as
worked out By Chief Flynn, the work Of
all railway police will be co-ordinated.
The police of a railroad in California
will work in cooperation with those Of
q railroad in New England in running
down freight car thieves. and the work
of all will be brot under the capable
direction of one head The amalgama-
ton of the railroad police means team
work on the part of all railroad offieers.
which under the old system was con
spicuousiy lacking.
Before Chief Flynn became head Of
the secret service department Of rail
roads, the police units of the various
roads were grouped under 80 ranks and
titles. The classification has now been
reduced to five ranks-namely. chief of
police. inspector, lieutenant. sergeant
and patrolman. The salaries have been
made sufficiently attractive to assure
the services Of first class men. The
salaries of chiefs range from $500 to
$1,000 a year There is a chief Of police
for each of the 144 roads under the CON
troll of the railroad administration. and
the entire railroad system covering
250,00O miles of trackage, is divided in
to 16 districts. In each district is a
special representative Of Chief Flynn.
who has complete charge Of all railroad
police matters.
Chief Flynn finds freight car thieves
the most crafty and cunning of all Grim,
inals. while We have greatly increased
the hazards Of the thieves who make
breaking into hox cars their profession"
he said, there is still much 70 be done
in wiping ont this evil. While We are
not so foolish as to believe that we can
eliminate the evil entirely. still we hope
to cut down the annual losses which at
present amount to millions"
Box car thieves are of various classes
Some will steal only whiskey, cigarettes
and tobacco, and this branch Of the fra
ternity is the largest in number as well
as the pettiest in methods. Others con