New-York tribune., 1920-04-12
Some Police Officers Also
Are Guilty, He Asserts,
but Force as Whole
Deserves Commentator
Must Fix Responsibility
Pastors Second Sermon
Disappoints Those Who
Had Expected Sensations


the church was half empty when DR..
Straton told on Easter Sunday Of the
sensational discoveries he had made
while touring the white light district
in disguise and visiting cabarets and
restaurants, the publicity attending his
appearance during the week before two
grand juries had the effect of attract
ing hundreds to Calvary last night.
1t was obvious that many Of the pews
were occupied by outsiders who were
had been widely advertised as being a
sensational sequel to the vice sermon
Of Easter Sunday.
Several city officials were present
and there were indications that there
were scattered through the church GER
tain representatives of that social
stratum against which the clergyman
has been directing his attacks.
The sermon, entitled, "The Political
Responsibility for the Deplorable Vice
Conditions in New York City" lacked
the sensational features Of the first, and
there were expressions of disappoint-
ment afterward that the minister had
not been as specific in placing the re-
sponsibility as predictions had indi-
Gated he would be.
DR.. Straton declared it his belief that
vice and lawlessness in New York had
had Large measure of police protec-
ton" and that the "police and detective
forces stand convicted of hopeless in
competence or of guilty connivance
with crooks, prostitutes and law
breakers" The minister said he chal-
lenged any man to deny that one or the
other is true.
"If there has been graftingvas there
undoubtedly seems to have been-and
If vice and crime have been protected,
as they seem to have been, those Of
ought to be punished" DR.. Straton said.
The evils that are now to the front
IN this city exist, unhappily, in all
cities, and if conditions are worse in
this city at given time it is only
because the stress of life is more
severe here and because we have the
most congested and mixed population
in the world. l believe that New York
will finally arise in her majesty and
might and clear her skirts of the vile
stains now upon them.
There is a great need to-day for in
sistent rebuke of popular sins and
warning that Judgment must fall be-
cause of the violations of righteous
law. There is no easy way out and
no way around. Thank God that the
light has been turned on! There Is
great power in publicity
"The light itself is purifying and
healing agent. Do any Of you remem-
Der ever having turned over an old
rotten log in the woods and seeing the
pale, hideous squirming worms and
bugs scurry to and fro and burrow in
10 the earth in their horror at the
light?
Something like that is happening
f,1r Lo
the rottenness of our social and DO
ilt,cal conditions we are seeing these
creatures of darkness and filth fleeing
to cover.
May this good work go on until
every rotten political and social log
in the city is turned over and all who
are hiding behind them have been re-
deemed or driven to cover"
At this point Dr. Straton paid a
tribute to the newspapers of the city
which, he said, had focused public
opinion on the vice conditions that
had been revealed.
continued, "any superior right to place
the responsibility for conditions as we
nnd them in this city at the present
time. 1t happens that in the discharge
OF my duties as preacher and pastor
In my effort primarily to protect nv
own flock from the wolves, 1 found
some things that l felt the whole city
had right to know about
Beyond doubt the responsibility fo1
the present deplorable vice conditions
IN New York rests in part upon the
OF the officers of the city. | do not
bring any blankets indictment against
the police force. l think, on the whole
New York has the best police force ir
the world Rnd it deserves the reputa
tion it has won. The Overwhelming
majority of the men in the ranks will
40 their duty honestly if they are Lex
right.
Even weak and crooked policemen
can De spotted and run to cover if thu
officers higher up were square, capabl,
and alert. The problem is one O.
proper leadership. We should not con
denim the entire force because we be
ieve some of the officers to be incom
petent and crooked. The city owes i
TO herself to go to the bottom of pres
ent conditions and place the bam,
where it rightly belongs.
There are good grounds for the as
sertion that IN some parts of our cit,
the criminals and crooks get more pro
lection than the law abiding citizens
Inc crooks seem to be able to ply thei1
trade unharmed and unhindered. /
statements made before the grand jur,
are true, then good women are no
saie IN their own homes. Rumors ar,
10 the effect that graft was not onl,
PAID by tough dives, but that officer,
OF the law would even raid innocen
places In order to terroriZe the nro
prletnrs and force them to pay craft
The conclusion is Irresistible tina
some who have been high in leader
snip IN both the police and detectiv,
'orces have been in connvance will
Crooks, prostitutes and lawbrcakcrs. /
mere has been grating, and if vic
"nd CRIME have been protected, thos
oniccrs Who are immediately respon
s'nie should be punished
All the grating is not within tn
ranks OF the police, however. With,
me ranks OF legitimate business ther
~ 700 much grating and dishonest
today. so long az plutocratic prof
tcers are permitted to plundcr th
people, 70 long az millionaire gambler
arc permitted 70 debauch great bust
ness systems, we are going 10 sec dis
honesty and graft in all lines. Whe,
there is less high financing in Wal
street there will be less low financing
in the TenderIoin"
DR.. Straton spoke on "New York
scariet Stain" in the afternoon at tn,
Bedford Branch Y NJ. c. A., Brooklyn
~ IL impossible 10 fix responsible,
Tor the present conditions in New YorI
until the grand jury has finished IL,