The New York herald., 1921-12-04
SUNDAY. DECEMBER 4, 1921.
The Police Smoke Screen.


fraction of the force-have just piled
one outrage upon another. In an
obvious effort to smoke screen their
violation of the Constitution at the
Town Hall meeting of November 13
they arrested woman on Friday
against whom they could not produce
a fragment Of evidence upon which
she could be held for trial
Apparently this was done to divert
public attention from the police raid
on the Town Hall meeting. The
police clique and their allies from the
Corporation Counsel's Office seemed
to think that by arresting a woman
who attended the Town Hall meeting
they could justify themselves for
breaking up that gathering.
But the people of New York are
not going to let their attention or
their indignation be diverted from
the investigation.
The people know that under the
Constitution of this State every citi
zen may freely speak, write and pub
lish his sentiments on all subjects
being responsible for the abuse of
that right. They know that the Con-
stitution Of the United States for
bids Congress to pass any law
abridging the freedom of speech.
The people know that the police
at the Town Hall meeting violated
the rights of the citizens who as
sembled there. They broke up the
meeting without giving the speakers
a chance to be heard.
The issue now at stake is not the
subject that wac slated tor discussion
at the Town Hall. The issue is
shether this city is TO be run by con-
stitutional government or by a little
bunch Of lawless policemen.
Instead of an open inquiry into the
conduct of the police the Police De-
partment proceeded to investigate
in star chamber. Then, when a wit
ness against the accused police cap
tain was on the stand, they arrested
her on pretext so fiimsy that when
the case came into court the Dis
trict Attorneys representative bluntly
said that there was no evidence that
any offence had been committed by
the prisoner.
The police group responsible can
not cloud the issue with such tactics
as these. The investigation of the
Town Hall oppression will go on, but
1t should be an investigation by an
honest tribunal. New York must find
out at once the motives behind the
Town Hall raid. 1t must find out
too whether Police Headquarters
thinks that the late election con-
ferred upon IL the powers of the
Pretorian Guard.
Incidentally, let us say a word
about the District Attorneys office.
THE New York HERALD found little
good in Mr.. SwANN's administration
and not much to praise in the work
of his successor, Mr.. BANToN, now
Acting District Attorney and soon 10
be District Attorney in fact But it
is to the credit OF Mr.. BAYToy and
his Office that they have not lent
themselves to the disreputable tactics
of the police clique. They refused to
assist in trumping up cases with
which to justify either the Russian
methods employed at the Town Hall
meeting or the tricks of the so-called
Investigation.
Thanks to the District Attorneys
oflce and the magistrates, the little
group Of police who are culpable have
not railroaded anybody to Jail in
this astounding affair.
Why should not the District Attor-
ney's Office take the Town Hall Incl
dent to the Grand Jury? Let the
responsibility be fixed, whether it is
entirely that of few policemen or
whether IL is shared by some ex.
terror agency. 1t is evident that
Police Headquarters is not the place
to find justice.