New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
StratOn Calls
On Mayor to
Gust Enright
''Ono Last Chance to Re-
deem Himself Before an
Outraged People," j" Pastor
Says in Sunday Sermon
Police WithoutLeadership
Declares Crooks Get More
Protection Than Honest
Citizens; Vice Rampant

Removal OF Police Commissioner En-
right is Mayor Hylan's zone last chance
to redeem himself before an outrage d
people and save his administration, -
the Rev. Dr.. John Roach Straton de-
clared last night in a sermon at CAL
vary Baptist Church, adding that "the
crooks Of this city get more protection
than honest citizens"
II believe" said the preacher, "the
time has come when the Mayor ought
to listen to frank and friendly advice,
and as one who hopes even yet to see
his administration vindicated I wish to
suggest to him that his administration
is in danger of coming to such final
wreck and ruin that it will discount
the good work he has accomplished;
and this danger arises, believe, from
some OF those he has called into his
official family.
"The trouble with the police force to-
day is not among the rank and file. The
great majority of patrolmen and Off
GERS will do their duty efficiently if
only they are led right from above.
The present leadership in the depart
ment, Heaven knows, has had warnings
enough through all these months and
indications enough of the rising tide
of sound judgment and public indigna-
tion against it to heed and remedy
wrong conditions if there had been
either the ability or the desire SO to do.
Big Man Needed at Helm
Mayor Hylan now has one last chance
to redeem himself before an outraged
people and to save his administration
IN the esteem of many thousands by
completely reorganizing the Police De-
partment and putting it under new and
capable leadership, about which there
VIII be no question marks and in whic,
the people of New York will have con-
fdence. big man ought now to be
put at the helm and we will see the
same happy results here as have re-
Gently beer brought to pas inChicago.
Some moaths AGO vtntured to give
the Mayor some advice in connection
with these matters. but he did not take
4. Now would point out to him that
the charges | made at that time have
been amply proven true.
"One shocking and horrible murder
has been succeeded by another and an
other, and robberies and ho.d-ups have
become such common occurrence that
they scarcely casion comm ent unless a
murder goes with them. which is often
the case. To cap the climax, there was
bomb explosion in the heart OF the
city which destroyed thirty-four lives
and Ia'l ions Of dollars worth Of prop
erty. yet The criminals have not been
brought to book. There were condi-
lions in connection with this outrage
eading TO the conclusion ti.at, with a
police force numbering over ioo 600 and
q highly paid and elaborate detective
system, the guilty parties might have
aeen round out
Morale Shaken by Favoritism
But they were rot, and believe
voice the opinion OF great 1l.ultitudes
in this city when | say these outlaws
we're MT aprrchended because the eff
cheney OF our police and detective de-
partnents has been almost completely
broken down.
The morale of the men has been
shaken by feYoritism, politics, the dis
charge Of true and tried officers and
seeming lack OF confidence on the
part OF the men in either the compe-
tence or the character Of those at the
top;
UnCer rreSe cOndlClOnS there are
good grounds for the assertion that
the crooks and lawbreakers Of this city
get more protection than the honest,
tax paying citiz rns."
The clergyman asserted that twice
within a single week since he launched
his crusade against suggestive dances,
plays and cabarets "an effort was made
to burn up my family"
'On Tuesday of that week." he re-
sumed, "a mass of inAammable ma
terial vas pied on the back stoop of
our apartment and set on fire. The
fire burned through the floor and cell
ing and would soon have swept the
house away i: it had not been discov-
cred by a workman. On Thursday
night, while | was away from home,
the house was again set on fire direct
~ beneath our apartment, the base
the morning my wife, who had been
sick in bed, and the little children had
20 escape through the smoke and gas
ni!ed halls TO safety.
"A little later, while we were all
away, our apartment was broken into
and robbed. This was also evidently
bit of spite work, because acts OF
wanton vandalism were comrlitt"1.
Vice Rampant in City
Here were three violations IF law
directly against one family, yet the
police did not round up any os the
law breakers. But l am only one
among many who have suffered, and the
time has come when the decent citizen
ship Of New York should arise in
righteous wrasn for the remedyins CT
these wrongs"
The vice Dl Straton claims four
ishes in New York. az we'll as the
crime wave, is attributed by MIN to
the generalization of the police under
the Enright regime.
He read 70 his congregation later,
emitting names and addresses, in
which distracted father" COM
planned to the minister that Man
haitian saloon, where girls are "given
DOPE. beaten, robbed and their honor
takcr from them" is protected by a
mernbe. of the Board Of Aldermen and
the two prohibition enforcement Off
GERS Of the district. The dry agents
and one Of the owners Of the saloon,
tne epistle assertcd are members OF
shc AIdeYman's nojitical club