The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-05-05
WANTS EYERYBODY'S
FINGERPRINT TAKEN
j. j. FaurOt Advocates Process
Even for Newly Born
Infants.
TEST VISITING POLICE
New YOrk'S Force Pose Stunts
for Colleagues From
Other Cities.
TEST VISITING POLICE

There really Is no limit to the hos
pitality of the New York Police De-
partment. IT Is entertaining this week
twelve score chiefs and superintendent
of police from 1877 other American cities.
Many OF them think they are rather
clever. and that. except in the regula-
ton of traffic by electric flashes and
a few other little things. the big town
hasn't such a lot to show them.
So the New York police are going to
let a party OF them crack a safe In
their most expert manner before the
end of the week, just to prove they
can't get away with It, The Identity
of the bluecoat yeggmen chosen for
the job Is to be kept a profound secret.
but after they have paved over the
strong box sufficiently to leave few
clues the New York police promise to
spot the guilty chief or superintendent
and to clap the bracelets on him almost
instanter.
This little practical experiment in up
to the minute crime detection was
agreed upon yesterday as a sequel to
the paper read In the National Police
Conference by Third Deputy Commits
sioner Joseph A. Faurot on Criminal
Identification: Its Failures and the
Remedies Therefor" Before the con-
vention's adjournment on Saturday
every one of the visiting delegates 's
TO be finger printed just as though he
were a common crook, q graduate
Raffles or any other old offender. The
twelve score fingerprint cards then will
be taken over by the metropolitan
bulls"
Some gentlemanly police chief from
Chicago or Boston. or from some other
complaisant community will be secretly
chosen for the job by a small commit
tee and the honored delegate then Will
stink forth and crack a crib. Commits
sioner Faurot promises that within
twenty-four hours the amateur cracks
man will be identified and ''pinched"
and his shame will be proclaimed >
the assembled conference.
Mr.. Faurot strongly advocated uni
versal fingerprinting He would have
the operation performed not only upon
eli immigrants admitted to this coun-
try. but even upon all newly born
babies, as In the case Of infants, he
thinks, 1. would aid materially in locat-
ing such OF them as may become lost,
strayed or stolen. Also 1t would help
to differentate one twin from the other.
He thinks fingerprinting should be An
even more popular function than chris
tening or vaccination. There should
be also, he argued. central bureau
in Washington where the fingerprints
of all citizens should be kept on record
for reference. The old Bertillon sys-
TEN, the Commissioner declared, al
ready is outgrown and obsolete.
Dr. Frank l.. Christian, superintend-
ent Of the New York State Reforma-
tory, and John s. Kennedy president of
the State Prison Commission. spoke on
Cooperation Between Police and Prison
Authorities"
"Traffic Progress was the theme of
an address by Special Deputy Com
missioner John A. Harriss.
The conference was entertained at
luncheon in the Hotel Aston by, the
Broadway Association, It's president.
Col. jefferson Demont Thompson. pre-
siding. The speakers were Commits
sioner Enright DIR. Harriss and Fred
erick A. Wallis. Commissioner of I'M
migration.