The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-02-05
WHY STATE PoL1CEe

Judging from newspaper accounts,
every state legislature which meets this
year, or is in session, will have, or has
before it, a measure which proposes a
state constabulary. Each Of these AT
ticles bases the ''peed' Of state con-
stahulary on crime wavss, and to bring
this wrong.felt need out strongly as to
what a state constabulary might do,
refers to and points out the Northwest
Mounted Police force Of Canada, some
thing like this, says the Bricklayers'
Journal:
"The Canadian Northwest Mounted,
Police is force Of about 700 men, un-
der the control of the Dominion gov
eminent. 1t was instituted when Can.
ada was sparsely settled and sometimes
two policemen had as much territory to
patrol as is comprised in one OF our
states. Early in their work these po'
licemen learned that there is no such
word as failure. When they wont after
a man they got him in practically every
instance. Crime decreased because
criminals learned that justice is swift
and certain.'
Note the name-'' Canadian North
west Mounted Police,'' and that no
reference is made to middle or eastern
Canada having such body, or even the
need Of it. If middle and eastern Can
ada have gotten along without such OF
a similar body, it is sad commentary
on any state in the United States that
it needs such a police force.
The word picture need Of state con.
stabularies i'll this country goes on to
say that "the idea is that of having
a small but highly efficient semi-mili-
tary force, composed Of trained men
who are fearless, incorruptible and free
from pernicious influence
Pennsylvania has, and has had, such
body as is proposed i'll many states.
Ten other states also have them in some
fo,n1, but do not braR about them. The
question occurs, have any of these bod
les, individually or collectively, ever
been accused Of being "fearless, ineor-
ruptible and free from pernicious in
fluences'' On the contrary, they have
been accused Of everything on the cal
endar except the three splendid attri-
butes mentioned. So long as Pennsyl,
vania is here mentloned as an exam
pie, Doubling Thomases might with
profit write to the secretary of any
.absr organization in Pennsylvania
and get history Of their "cossacks. -
The Chicago Tribune, counted the
greatest ~eal newspaper in this coun-
try, has been investigator: the sub
! jeet, as move is on foot in Illinois
for a state constabulary. This news
paper naturally turned to the moving
spirit of tho Illinois Constables' ASSOC
citation FOR light on the subject. Here s.
how the Tribune quotes him and prints
his communieations>on the question:
"John J. Harvey, Of Oak Park, ILL.,,
who is chairman Of the board Of direc-
tors of the Illinois Constables associa-
tion. 10 one Of the opposition. In let
ter he says the ordinary citizen, ia
miliar with the history Of military po-
lice forces, remembers that they al
ways have been tho willing tools Of
autocracy and menace to republican
institutions. As for the American eli-
tion Of the Royal Irish Constabulary
operating in Pennsylvania, it is enough
to say that after eleven wears Of SER
vice they are still regarded as AN alien
body by the local police Of cities aud
villages Of that state, and state con-
stabulary without their cooperation
have little chance to prove efficient,
or be OF much service to the state -