New-York tribune., 1920-12-21
Thugs Steal to
Buy Xn,as Gifts.
Enrigyht Says
Hoiida. Spirit Is Blamed
for saturnalia of Muir.
der and Robbery. iii Adj
dress 10 War Veterans
Force Is Not Demoraltxesi
Morale Solid as a Brick. He
Declares; Hopes Criminal
Outbreak Won't Last

The wave Of murder and banditrv
that has been clutch ing New York for
weeks was described as a little aurry"
by Police Commissioner Richard E.
Enright. addressing the New York
Chapter 1lilitary Order o1 the World
War, at tie LIST Regiment Annoy las.
night.
Il hops = viii soon pass" he sddea.
"but il NC haven't got it in It's full ex-
tent Yet, hopc ne viii before long
An unappea sable desire on the p4rs
% burglars and the like 10 buy c.
2ensive Christmas presents for their
sw"ethearts, wives, mothers and sisters
is ona o. the underlying causes Of the
epidemic of crime. the Commissioner
said.
"Ihey arc Wiling 10 &c 10 any
.sugtAs 10 se. money to pay for Ca.isc-
raas gifts 1or their friends and rela-
Nvos,' he continued. "The Chlistnss
season always has been re-ed sor at
increase in cln3a
There are u great amber Of laeA
cuG Of work. due To ecor omlc GaDreS-
sion. and that is another reason rcr
the robbories we are experiencing"
Commissioner EnMght appeared Al
the invitation OF the chapter, whic.
called the meeting in an endeavor TO
enlist the 10000 former army, navy
and marine corps officers III greata.
New York FOR cooperation with the &c
lice in combating crime
I'VE haven't had i77-ch cri mr. n q,,--
size since last Friday" the Commis-
sioner felicitated. THAT is a result OF
our having reverted to the patrol sya-
tenn iDaugurated By Commissioners
Rhinelander Waldo, which has doubled
the police force Oh patrol
The proclivity OF bandits toward Law
ish Christmas giving was not the only
discovery in his clinlinoloey research
announced by the Police Commissioner.
1t isn't so much that there is such
an increase in crime as that crimes
have become more spectacular and at
tract greater attention than formerly" J."
he said
In the good old days, the Commis-
sioner explained, when lootpads and
hold-up men were uncoutil creatures,
they employed ulVdgeona, slungshots
and knives OH tne;r victims.
Now he went on, "rhc N;lG West
style, with Tevolvers and automatics,
mas been populari1ed and public atten-
tion is attracted
"But were in pretty good shape. az
that. We're going along pretty well.
OF course. wee always had a certain
number OF crimes, and there always
VIII be formidable crime list IN a
city OF this size.
Some CT the crimes haven't been
solved because they are unsoivabl1.
You can rest assured the police are
doing the best they know how They
nave q great pride IN their department.
Iheir morale is soiiG as hricA.
There isn't man VINO, il he Euow
a criminal was TO be caught, wouldn't :
stay 80 seven days and seven nights 70
do it,
The Commissioner expressed 2 be
lief IN the efficacy OF the nightstick.
properly applied" 10 curb DISREGARD
Tor the law. He .:eciarel men convict
ed OF gun hold-ups SHOULD be sentenced
to not less than forty years in prison
and decried the tendency OF New York
courts 10 fix low bail for deaperadoos
and TO delay trials until both the
complainant and the police have lost
interest in the case"
In one particular at least, the Com
missioner boasted, his administration
OF the department transcends that Of
any Of his predecessors.
More criminals have been killed
fleeing from policemen and brought in
on shutter since have been Commis-
sioner than ever before he asserted
And" he promised. ",hcre will be