El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-09-13

POLICEMEN soldiers and prohibition enforcement OH
GERS are expected to models Of correct conduct and
especially to be entirely proof against any temptation OF
money reward for poor eyesght Some men 90 INTO tnes
and similar occupations because they ike the work the
prospect Of adventure the occasional risk the conolon
EMPLOYMENT the robe Of authority The vast majority
Of men engaged IN these and similar public services are re-
liable energetic and have than average sense OF
duty small proportion is Enthusiastically and lew are
cinally inclined but the proportion Of beloWstanaaro
IN these public service occupations IS certainly no
greater than it is in ordinary civil he ana pro0aoy con-
siderably smaller
the prohibition laws criminal; large proportion OF
people do net regard them immoral OF even eprenesl
Be But these facts do not excuse officers from doing their
duty It is not within the province Of officers . judge OF
the wisdom Of law, to act judge and jury Their
duty appTehend law violators and to suppress law
ne conduct and general attitude Of the rank and file
deund largely upon the conduct and attitude Of their su-
psror officers While policemen soldiers prohibition en-
forcement officers and others similarly employed should oe
I5 ~ zsin standards of performance and personal and
Official integrity the requirements imposed on their su-
psrior officers the heads Of police departments and
bureaus on commissioned personnel IN the army and on
chiefs Of and Of services in the government ought
It Is not too much to say that the responsible higher
officers ought at al times to be above suspicion II slI
standards among the higher ranks be maintained there VIII
be little trouble among the subordinate ranks Deuoraa
ton in an organization begins at the top not at the ootto
Some citizens become almost fanatieal upon the SUD
e Of law enforcement and appear to expect the pos
sibe But the vast majority Of citizens desire expect ana
demand that community conditions be Maintained .easo
ably clean and decent that public uuisances be uoy sup
pressed at all times and that the public services be kept
free from collision with vice. they do not expect erleeon
but thew do expect an unremttng fight to be made against
evil elements IN the community BY those specially enaIgeo
and paid to cary on this sort Of sanitary WORK
very few persons in a community make most or the
trouble cause most Of the police cases. and act Ike Trn
infectious germs in locality where public and private
hvzene is neglected. few smoky ehaeys can oeIout
CITY even though percent Of the ehmneys DO not smoke
few professional gamblers, bootggers drug Psddler OF
keepers Of houses Of prostitution make trouble out OF
all proportion to their nunbers-
This evil disposed minority cannot exist ana carry on
business without the knowledge Of the police and other
officers charged with enforcement It cannot thrive
unless It have tact open permission IRON somewhere
The conditions in the big cities disclosed BY the federal
urohition commissioner unfortunate but need cause
no surprise must have the weight Of public sen
st beFud them to be effective. Sometimes laws preoede
complete acceptance Of their principle and the minority IN
opposition VIII continue for long time to DEFY them Inc
main thing is to administer such laws fairly and inteh-
gently and Try avoid COLLISION between law breakers and
officials charged with law enforcement
Locally the majority sentiment does not tolerate open
swless1ess. When gambling prostitution, bOoteggng ana