Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-14
Many Changes for Better
Have Taken Place Since
Ringer Went on Vacation
Since Police Commissioner Has Been Away Morals
SQUAD Has Discontinued It's Disgraceful Raids,
Sunday Ice Sales Have Been Permitted and Liquor
Guards Have Been Taken From Bridges.

necessity for the repeal OF this
drasti ice ordinance. Both the
mayor and Mr.. Ringer have turned
deaf ears to the pleadings of this
paper on behalf of the public. Re
peatedly The Bee has protested
against the rough and unlawful tao
tics of the police department, The
police commissioner, undaunted and
unmindful of public indignation. con-
tinued his high-handed methods
Mayor Smith heretofore has refused
to interfere. However, as soon as
the authority is placed in his hands,
and he is charged with the respon-
sibility. a noticeable change in police
methods is pointed out by thousands
of persons who have been shocked
and terrorizcd by the departments
fragrant disregard of the rights OF
citizens.
In opposition to Mr.. Ringers
views and policy another privilege
is visited upon The Omaha public
during the absence of the police
commissioner. The city council
voted to allow grocery stores, 10
Gated in sections of the city where
the limited means and facilities of
residents will not permit them to
obtain fresh milk and food, to re-
main open on Sundays for the bene-
fit of thousands and thousands of
children and babies.
Poor Enjoy Blessing.
Scores of poor families have en-
ioyed this blessing, it is pointed out,
during the absence of the police
commissioner, whose pronounced
and announced convictions prompt
ed him to contend relentlessly for
closed-tight Sunday, regardless of
demands and necessities of parents
and children. For the first time
this summer last Sunday, without
lear of intimidation and arrest by
Mr.. Ringers policemen, working
men and their families journeyed
to their little grocery stores in their
neighborhoods and purchased fresh
food and sweet milk on the Sab
bath.
Another radical departure from
the Ringer plan was noted in the
removal from the Missouri river
bridges of the liquor guards. Follow
/ ing countless charges of grating by
the policemen stationed on the
/ bridges from bootleggers hauling
whisky into Omaha from Iowa,
these guards were removed, it was
said. in the belief that they were not
making any effort to prevent con-
signments from crossing the river,
SO long as the bootieggers laid"
the usual charge of $50 per load. Mr..
Ringer refused to entertain for
moment a proposition contemplate
ing such all arrangement. The po-
lice commissioner had been out of
the city but few days when Chief
Eberstein, without any explanation,
announced that he had taken the
guards from the bridges.
No Investigation Made.
In spite of the fact that it was
public knowledge that some of the
policemen on the bridge were taxi
ing hundreds of dollars each nj ght
and themselves boosted of it, Com
missioner Ringer, so far as is known,
never took the first step to institute
an investigation in order to ascer-
tain the identity of the guilty par
ties.
Reports Of graft continued follow
ing the police commissioners de-
rarture. and Chief Eberstein, with
Mayor Smiths approval, abolished
the guards on the bridge
Scores of persons have called at
the city hal! to congratulate the
commissioners upon their departure
from the plans and methods aban-
Loned and adopted since Mr.. Ringer
left the city to spend his vacation in
i-OlOradO