Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-24
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Washington and the Riots.

Out of town comment on the riot
ing that has disgraced Washington
during the past few nights is pitched
in a key of shocked surprise that such
things happen at the capital. This is
due to the fact that Washington has
always been an orderly, peaceful city.
1t has had its troubles, including some
riots in the distant past, but with no
serious happenings of this kind for
half century. The country has come
to regard this city as a model of good
behavior and is now the more panied
and grieved at the spectacle of passion
flaming into conflict in the streets, with
losses of life.
Bitter as the regret for this out
break of lawlessness may be, the Dis
triet citizens nevertheless feel that it
is unjust to hold the capital itself
strictly responsible for the affair. The
conditions out of which the troubles
of Saturday, Sunday and Monday
nights developed have come into be-
ing absolutely without fault of the
local community. Being the seat of
government, this city was suddenly in
the spring of 1917 the center of an
unprecedented gathering of people.
Upward of 100000 came here to en-
gage in war work. Everything was
congested. Economic conditions were
radically changed. During the eight
cen months of our participation in the
war Washington was as strange city,
even to those who had observed the
development of events.
There was inevitably some increase
of crime due to the increase in popu-
Iation, and the lack of proportionate
increase in the means of protection.
The police force not only was not
augmented, but was actually depleted.
Members of the force resigned to go
into more remunerative employment
or were enrolled in the military and
naval services. A provost guard was
maintained for the supervision of the
conduct of service men, but this did
not lessen the burden upon the police.
When on the 18th of June the pro-
vost guard was withdrawn, against the
protests of the District authorities,
the police force, which had been only
partially recruited back to its strength,
was oyerworked in patrolling the city,
and in the tracing of criminals was
imposed with an additional burden.
The service men on leave from their
posts were placed under the super
vision of the local force. A series of
crimes developed, crimes of most
obnoxious character, calculated to
arouse the passions of the people.
Despite their best efforts the police
could not give full protection to all
parts of the city. 1t would be idle
to expect the absolute prevention of
these crimes. The best police force in
the world and the largest could not
have stopped them
When the service! mea last Satur-
day night started their raid upon
eolored section Of the city the lack
of provost guard was keenly felt.
If there is one fact responsible for
these happenings it is the withdrawal
of that guard p1ewat,irely. When the
riots began they2sopld not be handled
by the Local fp4rga.lhsnas. Whether the
police ranks were net sufficiently re-
inforeed, or quickly enough. is mat
ter for DETERMINATION after inquiry.
But the hoperef the District is that
the eountrNcss large will not judge it
in the light solely of the tragedies
without considering the conditions
out of wHtosrsy developed, eondi-
lions over Which the people of Wash
ington have had no control whatever.
The Senate Costumes to insist that