Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-28
The Police and the Laws.

The Police and the Laws.
: Congress has passed certain laws for
the government of the District Of Co.
1umbia One of these laws has closed
the so-called segregated district and
has prohibited prostitution. Another
law has prohibited the sale of liquor
and its importation into the District.
Another law, long on the statute books,
forbids the making of bets on horse
races. with other forms of gambling. 1t
ts up to the police of the District to
enforce these laws. If they fail to
enforce them they are negligent in
their duty. If they do enforce them
they are subject to the criticism of
those who protest against sumptuary
legislation and feel that the lawmak
ing body should not interfere with the
individuals right to do with and to
himself whatsoever he pleases.
In the enforcement of these laws it
ihas been necessary to expend a certain
degree of police energy that could
otherwise be applicable to the ordinary
business Of patrolling the streets. The
superintendent of police asserts that
the number of men thus detailed for
:the ordinary and extraordinary work
of suppressing the crimes specified by
these enaetments is by no means as
large as has been supposed. Criticism of
the police department. or of its admin
istration has been expressed in terms
b gnifcant of opposition to any degree
of police activity in the enforcement
hof these laws. -:
It is doubtful If the inability of the
police to cope with the lawlessness that
developed in Washington Saturday
might aveek ago ane again on Sunday
might was in any degree due to the
special details. Nor is it in the least
probable that the crimes that have
been committed against women in the
District lately may be attributed to the
Jack Of police patroliing in the outlying
sections. The brutes who have attack
ed women in those parts Of the District
xwould probably have committed these
offenses even If the patrol had been
heubled. &
It is true that Washington needs
more police, has needed a larger force
Nor years, the annual additions mover
quite bringing the department up to
Dts mark Of need. The pay has been
loo small, as Maj. Pullman declares, to
permit the sufficient recruiting Of the
Force even to the point set by the law.
With larger force better order could
be maintained.
Probably the Commissioner in charge
Of the police department and the su-
perintendent could, by ignoring the
three laws that have been mentioned
and allowing violations to proceed UNI
checked, have somewhat increased the
patrol force. But to do 50 would have
been eontributory to condition
against which the better sense of the
community would have revolted. It
may be common in other cities for the
police to shut their eyes to violations
of the sumptuary laws. Grievous scan
dals have occurred elsewhere through
police eonnivance in and profit from
shameless lawbreaking. Washington
has never had such an experience and
prays never to have one.
The recent riots are not to be at
fributed in any degree to the praise
worthy efforts of the District govern
ment to enforce the laws Congress has
enacted. They are rather to be at
tributed to the lack of sufficient pro-
vision by Congress Of an adequate
force to insure observance of these
laws. Public opinion in Washington
strongly supports the policy of law en-
forcement that has guided the police
department..