The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-25
Public Order and Safety

The Washington Post exposes the true source
of the race riots in Washington which Disguised
and shocked the country. An inadequate and I'M
der-paid police department is assigned as the
reason The whites and blacks of Washington
are law-abdng. The law breakers,cannot be con-
trolled under the present system. Says The Post :
The disgraceful and dangerous disorders that
have prevailed in Washington during the last
three days and nights directly attributable to
the inadequacy of the police system as whole.
The first disturbance may have occurred in spite
of any precautions, but efficient police super
ntendent with an adequate force would have
made further outbreaks impossible. From night
10 night race feeling has been permitted to inten-
sify until the entire city is terrorized after
nghtfall, not because the white and black people
are intent upon making trouble but because
hoodlums of both colors have roamed about MAX
ing life unsafe for any person, however unoffend-
ing 1t is an intolerable situation.
Order must be preserved here lin the National
Capital, whether the police force is adequate or
not If the police are not properly directed or if
they are insufficient to meet the emergency,
troops must be brought in to patrol the city
What spectacle it is when the civic safeguards
provided by Congress break down, and the very
foreign governments must seek protection from
the military power! Is Congress proud of this
exhibition of its administration of the seat of
government?
Hundreds of millions dollars worth of prop
erty is collected here much of it vitality important
to the people of the United States Hundreds of
individuals are here from foreign lands, the Off
cial guests of the United States, relying upon the
+o;o
mark all civilized communities. When the Boxer
outbreak occurred in Pekin, foreign governments
were forced hastily to send in an expedition to
rescue their Ambassadors and Ministers and their
households. Does Congress wish to hear SINH
lar suggestion made in behalf of the diplomatic
corps in Washington?
The civil power must be made paramount over
every element in this community, at whatever
cost. The government of the United States is a
failure at the source if it must bring its military
power to maintain order under the shadow of
the Capitol The lives of white and black people
in this District must be protected, not by cavalry
and cannon, but by the civil law executed by the
civil authority The protection must be complete
not questionable 1t must make utterly impos-
sible the crimes against white women which pre-
coded the present disorders, and it must also pro
tect the aW-abiding negro element.
The people nauseated by orders which
leave the police practically defenseless when at
tackled by ruffians Of either race. The direct re
suit of these orders is death to policemen, the
triumph of lawessness and the terrorization Of
the community. The individual policemen are
placed in unjust light, we'll as having theil
lives endangered, and the hoodlum element quick
ly learns contempt for the whole force, in spite
O! the desire of brave policemen to quel the dis
turbances.
A more efficient direction of the present pc
lice force is necessary. That greater efficienc.
can be obtained by the President whenever h
desires to investigate conditions. But the in
creased force and the adequate pay which will
keep the force efficient, must be provided b.
Congress- The pay of policemen is shameful.