South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-28
SOUTH BEND NEEDS TAKE ACTION TO
AVERT BECOMING REFUGE FOR
CRIMINALS FROM LARGER CITIES


sweeping over the country. It would seem about
time that the people Of South Bend 10 thel:
senses, and Insist that Mayor Carson assume the
responsibility that legally rests upon him. revamp
mis- police force. and station It at gates, pre-
becoming rendezvous for the on-scour-
lngs OF these more vgllant localities. Naturally they
follow the line least resistance. will
those communities where police activity is less
formidable
The large cities ~ the country have been suffer-
ing from serious crime waves" for some time.
stories OF payroll hold-ups bank hold-ups. train
hold-ups murders shooting trays robberles large
and small. have filled the papers with sign
cessation. Criminals were seldom caught and less
often punished. Crime seemed unchecked and in
creasing to the despair OF orderly decent peo-
pie
A sudden change has come over the land. Reports
OF brisk and cogent action coming from al
quarters. The chief Of police Chicago &c
years Old recently newspaper man. is turning the
Chicago department OF police inside taking
radical measures 20 stop crime. He has put all po-
cemen into uniform, giving each captain free rein
his district and holding him strictly responsible
conditions there.
In Detroit, the police commissioner started a
drive ?. crime decreased so percent in the
ensuing month. The creation OF a volunteer force
aid the regular police helping Cleveland late.y
been having a successful drive for law-enforcc-
ment
The mayor OF Philadelphia announces that he Is
going up that city's police from top
bottom. until he gets real results in the decrease
of the punishment criminals New
York Is forming volunteer bands Of vgllantes Bos-
has been getting ready for expected out
break OF crime during the holidays San Francisco,
Los Angeles and other western coast cities have
taken similar steps
But South Bend there still exists a standing
order from the head OF the police department that
policemen must not modest anyones freedom OF
locomotion activity without a warrant or orders
from the chief; apparently difference what the
crime nor how well they may know who COM
mitted it. how their hands may be upon
them. It IS easy enough to understand the reason
order. into being originally o stop
policemen from pulling booteggers. bawdy houses
and gambling joints that from all appearances had
been sold immunity. II was process Of protection.
quite seemingly. these latter days,
sity is getting beyond that and TO curb larger
crimes would desirable that the prohteers
such Letty vices be required to bring their har-
vest to a close.
South Be- can nI-afford to throw open It's arms
or continue hold them open. to outside culprits.
even from Chicago alone. We have enough
home-brds OF that quality. The thing has gone
quite far enough. It ought not be necessary to
tighten belts to prepare for any such special
resistance but somehow the American people are
easy-gong. and something desperate always has to
happen get them into a fighting mood. They
70 feel something tramping upon their own per-
sonal toes-or enough to It to give them a
scare. With the passing of Thanksgiving we might
do worse than reflect that perhaps a little
Of the Puritan in blood. inspiring to the
right because It IS right might a thing
in these latter days
Just + FIRE 10 make a real Chicago. A
flood make a Galveston. a real Dayton
which only examples. humanity has repeated
" had TO go down into the gutter. and walIow IN
the very bottom OF II, before 1t could dry land
The Slough Of DesJond a necessary condi-
ton precedent n desire ascend the
Delectable Mountain. Bunyon, indeed, scented the
temper OF this world when from that dungeon
he wrote his Pilgrims Progress The abstract right
or wrong a thing seldom impresses US until by
action the wrong OF begins to interfere
with US personally; endangering our lives. prop
erty. maybe begins reflect upon our sacred
honor,
Must we have a few bIood-curdIing murders sew
eral thrifty robberies. burgaries. etc, before we
have the sense TO demand a revision our po-
lice system. to give Us some protection as law
abiding citizens2 Isn't # pretty near as important
the general public be considered as II is that
protection be accorded the gambling hells boot
Ieggers and prostitutes? Protect them and you pro-
the of criminal congre cation It IS time
10 start. and right now starting: one
thing more II IS important that there be no more
81 and So fines Or suspended sentences. Hereafter
5 should be the full limit Of the law. The city
Judge as well as the mayor and police department.
needs 20 reach the point OF lost PATIENCE with
crooks