The New York herald., 1921-03-06

similar, IN less degree. to those prevail
ing in all large cities throughout the
civilized world
bad Effect ON Juries.
Were the attacks confined TO certain
individuals OF the force they would mat
ter little. for nobody can expect that IN
any association Of thousands Of men
they are all free from human failings
hut the attack on the police force has a
most dangerous significance. the peril
Of which is 50 great that public alton
tion should be riveted upon It by such
public officials as come face to face
with its serious consequences. BY such
attacks each individual member OF the
Police Department Is affected, but their
startling peril rests in the interference
they offer to the administration Of our
criminal law.
These attacks hold up TO contempt
the testimony OF police officers in the
prosecution OF crime. They weaken and
recently In a number of cases have
testimony before petty juries. or late it
has not been unusual to hear prospec-
tive jurors declare that they could place
no credcnce IN the unsupported testi-
rnony of police officers.
THE police force is entitled to a fair
deal. It's members welcome an honest
investigation. but let it be honest. There
are investigating committees III the state
and county examining into everything.
despite the fact that history shows that
the results OF such Investigations have
never produced any real benefits, except
in the case Of one committee
The Kings Grand Jury IN its recon-
rnendations suggested that steps be
taken to censor the movies and protect
girls and boys from the suggestion Of
crime.
instdc ot tsr Ash Contracts.
Dag!d II;gsiltiela Commissioner or
accounts. renewed his attack on Mr.,
Whitman by issuing a formal statement
OF the history OF the Jacob Fradus ash
removal contract. This contract has
been under fire iii three sessions of the
Whitman Grand jury, but Mr.. Hirsh-
field is the first to tell the public what
the trouble is supposed to be. Before
the Hylan administration came into Of
flee. Mr.. Hirshfield said, there ex-
listed combination which controlled and
rnonopolized all street cleaning contracts
for the removal of ashes and snow, and
there also existed a combination Of GER
tain forage dealers who parcelled out
between themselves the various city con-
tracts FOR hay and oats. and managed
10 Keep everyone else from competing"
After the Hrlan inauguration DAILY &;
lyins forfeited their ash removal con
tract This and the big snowfall OF
January and February, 1918. so hamp-
cred the Department Of Street Cleaning
that ashes were temporarily piled in
great heaps along the river fronts and
under bridges. Bids for the removal OF
these heaps were opened by Street
Cleaning Commissioner MacStay on
March Is. 1918. Jacob Fradus Inc. put
| in the lowest bid, 90 cents a cubic yard
James McAvoy bid 81 cents. and then
came Charles +. Van Etten and William
Charlesworth. each bidding 1924.
! McAvoy failed to qualify BY signing
| contract and giving a bond That left
| F'radus with no bidder between himseli
| and Van Etten and Charlesworth An
attempt to get Fradus to drop out fail
! ing. threats Were made that he would
: not be allowed to carry out the con-
tract according to Commissioner Hirsh-