The New York herald., 1921-02-10
Big POLICE GRAFT
SEEN in MEASURE
TO MAKE CITYDRY
Every Crook on Force Pray
ing for Proposed Law
Says Expert.
DEPENDS ON PUBLIC
Honest Uniformed Man
Would Get the Worst OF
Deal, Is Opinion.
M'ADOO is OPTIMISTIC
Chief Magistrate Discounts
objection That Power Would
Lead to Corruption.
M'ADoo is OPTIMISTIC


corning Gov. Miller's proposed meas
ures placing the burden of enforcing
the prohibition law upon the local po-
lice and District Attorneys in the
State revealed a wide divergence of
opinion among those presumed to have
expert knowledge on the subject.
Among the former deputies. police
commissioners or others to whom the
business OF enforcing law is known,
almost utter discord prevailed, save
that all viewed the bills which. it is
almost certain will pass. with great
interest as injecting a new and pos
sibly powerful element-the police
into the struggle to make this a dry
nation.
Every crooked policeman in New
York city is praying that that law viii
be passed." said one former police ofii-
cial emphatically And when 1t Is
passed every one win buy his wife a
hat or d gown. for he certainly will be
able to afford 1t. 1t opens UP pathways
OF graft which no other law on the
statute books could uncover
This former police administrators
pointed out that in this city, at least.
sentiment appears to be against prohibi-
ton. Consequently. he said. the crooked
biuecoat who permitted the opening of a
drinking place ON his beat and received
graft for it would undoubtedly be more
popular with the mass of citizens than
the honest patrolman who kept his dis
trict clean and lived on his salary. In
other words. he would face both unpopu-
iarity and poverty because he did his
duty. The let-down of morale would
lead gradually to the taking of graft
from those who desired to break other
laws. and the result would be chaos.
Temptation at Every Hand.
.'One of the reasons why 7 see danger
ahead II this law Is passed Is that IT
would be an exceedingly difficult one TO
enforce. Before prohibition policeman
could keep track of excise violations. for
liquor was sold in lighted saloons with
licenses displayed. A uniformed man
could see to II that these saloons closed
On time kept closed on Sundays and
obcyed the other laws. With liquor sold
as it Is now II would require In many
cases detectives to ferret II out. and
search warrants TO enter the place. or
course there would be a strong tennpta-
tion presented to these detectives to
take money to forget about a place
The nearest approach TO agreement
on the subject was in the views OF Leon
G. Cooley and L. r. Durham. first and
third deputy police commissioners under
the regime Of Arthur Woods.
"Thc Police Commissioner is the only
man who could give definite answer 10
the question of possibility or impossi-
bility of enforcement" Mr.. Cooley said.
"Tfe has only certain number of men
10 do the police work and they may
have all they can handle in the matter
Of work. will say this. however. you
cannot enforce any law unless the peo-
pie OF the city are in favor of that law.
You must get convictions. not arrests.
and IL juries fail to convict what can
you do?
ut is not possible to enforce any
sumptuary legislation affecting the
morals of the people unless the majority
sentiment Is in favor OF II. With the
proper supervision IL would be possible
to prevent graft. Experience here and
IN Europe has shown that a great deal
OF trouble in police affairs comes from
going too far in that sort OF legisla-
ffon -