New-York tribune., 1919-02-08

Following are editorials from New
York and Brooklyn newspapers dealing
with the dcmotion of Inspector "Hon-
est Dan" Costigan:
Brooklyn Standard Union
"The Enright patter about the good
of the service does not deceive the
public, and least of all the members of
the police force who take their cue
from those placed in command over
them. The Mayor should hearten them
by d prompt reversal of the serious
misstep taken in the Costgan case or
give the reason which in his judgment
justified the demotion of the inspector.
There never was a time in the his
tory of the police force when q man of
the character and calibre of Costigan
was more needed than at the present
moment. Everywhere, following the
close of the great war, there is unrest
and a shifting of population. The city
is crowded with people who made
money very rapidly during the war,
with men and women out of employ
ment who have been making big wages
for the last four years and with thou
sands OF young soldiers whose homes
are not here just discharged from the
army.
"The harpcs of the underworld are
becoming very active"
Brooklyn Eagle"
without the slightest desire to do
injustice to Commissioner Enright, the
public will be inclined to demand an
explanation of the Furnishing of Costi-
gan, whose activities were so warmly
praised by District Attorney Swami
an explanation possibly franker, GER
ta1nly fuller, than any yet made. The
impression must not be allowed to
spring up and grow that there is a
reversion to older and most dishonored
methods of police discipline. The Com
missioner must see that as clearly as
any Of us see it."
"The Evening Sun"
THE uneasy movements in the Po-
lice Department carry an unpleasant
suggestion of an upheaval from the
depth, a reemergence of certain long
dormant tendencies toward the kind
of police administration of a score OF
years ago. Are we to go back to the
days of the Pump Of the red lights,
wide open town and all that these
things imply? 1t may be going too
far to suspect this from the Costigan
incident. but the suspicion inevitably
arises in the minds of those old
enough to recall the LeXow and other
Investigations.
"The World''
"By fifteen years of faithful and eff
fcient service Police Inspector Daniel
Costigan gained high reputation. His
stood in silent protest against the vote
of captains and inspectors to give q
welding, present to Commissioner En-
right. His manliness should have COM
mended him to the Commissioner, who
had doubts Of his own as to the propri-
ETY. of the presentation. But as il han
/ pened, when the Commissioner found
himself with one more inspector than
his budget covered, it was Costigan
who was reduced to the rank of can
tain.
"The Evening World"
"The demoton of Costigar without
the people OF this city for one of the
normal. natural readjustments in the
! Police Department.
"Costigan did notable work as head
of the vice squad AS an expert in
hunting down gambling and gamblers
he is probably unequaled So far as
the public knows his record is with
out a blot.
"The public has good reason to be
when there is a slump of administra-
tive standards in the City Hall the
Police Department is the branch of the
municipal service certain to show
the earliest and worst effects. Con-
ffvlcnce in City Hall is at present pre-
ceded by prominent MINUS sign"
"-------------- s--.----
MISS HARRIET II. BREWSTER, ac-
tive in the affairs OF the Central Con-
gregational Church, Summit, N. j.. and
in musical circles and prominent in
numerous women's organizations, died
| Thursday in Aiken S. c. where she ,ya .