The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-12-03
CALL A POLICE.

In connection with the wave of
crime that has been sweeping over
the United States during the present
times, and the accompanying feeling
of dissatisfaction among the citizen
shin Of the country with the police
protection, or rather lack of police
protection, that is being furnished
by the authorities, we were interest
ed in reading in the Chicago journal
Of Commerce an article under. the
title of Call A Policeman"
While there are many conditions
mentioned in this article that do not
pertain to our own locality, still there
are others that do, and so we hand
the article on to the readers OF The
Iberian for what it is worth as "A
summary of the situation.
AS the author of the article states
in closing, We've got to get busy"
CALL A POLICEMAN"
1t used to be, in almost all of our
| American cities, that the police pow
ers were held in due respect; and po-
| licemcn were regarded as the real
and true guardians of the safety and
| interests of the people.
If one desired to learn some fact
about the city, the advice was-"Ask
a policeman"
If one needed protection-"Call a
policeman.
If a lady needed aid-she appealed
to a policeman.
If a child was lost-it trusted 3
policeman.
If a householder's privacy was in
vaded-he depended upon police
man.
The policeman was looked upon as
the friend and helper of all. All felt
secure when in the presence of a po'
liceman.
I But how is it today?
Are our police powers in alliance
| with the lawless powers of our cities
| don't intimate that they are-lr
all instances; but l do charge thai
they are in some cases.
In more than one American city
the police departments have beer
found taking active part in violating
the prohibition laws Actual holdup:
have been traced to policemen.
There is a mass of information
enough to be disquieting, alarming
almost--whieh indicates that the
strong arm of the law, upon which
) we have the right to depend confd
emily, is at many times, in many
: places, in many ways, upon the side
of law violators.
Why is this?
Principally, perhaps, because poll
5 cemen are no longer chosen for thei
5 valor and integrity.
! They are creatures of the great got
/, Politics.
Political pull puts them in place.
They are under obligations to tn
+, political machine.
They are instructed that they ow
, first duty to the machine-not to tn
public.
) And the machine needs the votes o
the underworld OF law violators.
So the activities of the underwood
4 must not be too much disturbed or re
7 gulated; and the policemen are S
: warned.
Police work is one or the most i'm
$ portant forms of public service; an
h it should commend itself in such
! way as to command confidence, re
:, spect and support.
: Such a state of affairs prevails
Canada. "There the policeman repro
t sents the Crown and the high dign
: ty of the law. He is respected be-
: cause he is clothed in the sign and a
d thority of the government. And as fc
G the police of Canada becoming par
:. ners with criminals, that is a pervel
a sion only found in the United State
g Insidious, disloyal, immoral force
d are at work in America-especiall
in our larger cities.
L 1t is a close conspiracy; and it
d working from within-striking at tt
d very heart of our governmental ar
social system, by prostituting OF
n powers of law enforcement.
Isl We've got to get busy"
VI ----- ----- r
ELKS MEMORIAL SERVICES.