New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-04-12
Downtown League Tells
Enright 100 Bankers
and Merchants Are
Ready for Patrol Duty
Board Cuts Police
Increase to $50
Aldermen Plead Poverty:
1900 Reserves Go Into
Action; Two Murders

A spirit savoring of the patriotic out.
hurts Of World War days was evidenced
yesterday in the action of business
organization in connection with meas.
ures being taken to check crime.
The Downtown League, CONSTITUTING
substantial proportion of the mos,
prominent bankers, merchants and
property owners Of lower Manhattan
offered to Police Commissioner Enrieht
the services Of 100 of It's members to
assist In suppressing the lawless ele.
ments Of the city. In letter to the
| Commissioner David Robinson, presl
dent Of the league. told the police chief
every one of these men had motor car
grit and good Judgment and was ready
to perform personally any duty as
signed him.
The action Of the league is regarded
as extraordinary, for officials were un.
able to recall when group of men o1
such prominence in the business anc
professional life of the city have vol
unteered personally to perform ordi
nary police duty. The Downtown League
has headquarters at 164 Nassau Street
with about 500 members. DR.. Thomas
Darlington, former Commissioner o1
Public Health, who Is chairman of the
welfare committee, joined Mr.. Robin.
son in making the offer.
Calls Civic Bodies to Duty
"The Downtown League" says the
letter to the Commissioner, tender its
cooperation in your efforts to protect
the city from crime. One hundred o1
our members are at your service in the
respective sections of the city, which
include Manhattan. the Bronx and
Brooklyn. Each one is citizen, &
business man, and all are men of gri,
and good judgment. Will you advise
us IN what manner you may care tt
utilize their services and any othe,
| suggestions you may wish to make
We believe that it is the duty of ever.
civic organization in the great city t.
cooperate with your department ane
to help the stamping out of the bad ele
ments which confront u.s.
The Board of Aldermen found yes
terday that 1t was financially unable tc
give the Commissioner the 1892 men
he asked for to cope effectively with
the problem. They allowed him $50
with assurances that he would receive
more later. The matter of the six
automobiles he requested for the pur-
suit of bandits was laid over for dis.
cussion next Tuesday.
In the mean while substantial head.
| way has been made in getting the re.
serves out on active duty. Colonel
, Frederick M. Thompson, Of the 10th
Regiment Of Police Reserves. an
nounced that 1900 of total force Of
| 1000 of these men were out on day 81
night patrol yesterday. The remaining
1,100 members have been assigned tc
the aviation, clerical and marine di-
| visions of the Police Department. Dur
ing the period of the emergency, said
Colonel Thompson, every one of these
men will be required to report regu-
! larly for patrol, and those failing to
appear will be dropped from the rolls
District Attorney Banton had E
lengthy conference with his trial as
sstants yesterday in preparation fol
placing all violent crime cases on tria
beginning April II. Il intend to push
the trials of criminals with such
speed" he said, that they will be in
the dock the day following their in.
dictment. We shall keep ten courts
| busy hearing their trials" Mr.. Ban.
ton said there were 262 such cases
pending.
Miller Congratulates Bantor
The District Attorney received a let
ter from Governor Miller congratulate
ing him on the progress of his plans
for dealing with the crime question
and expressing the hope that Mr. Ban
ton soon would be able to report more
progress, "since you have shown a de-
sire to perform your duties energet-
ically and conscientiously"
Representatives of the II 900 mem
bers of the Patrolmen's Beneficial AS
sociation adopted resolutions at meet
ing +. in Maennerchor Hall expressing
confidence in the Police Commissioner
and pledging their cooperation and
loyalty during the present crisis. Jo-
seph P. Moran. president of the asso-
citation, said the police were willing to
"go the limit" in supporting the efforts
of the Commi ssioner to combat bandit
ry. The resolution also asks the public
and the press "to avoid criticism that
is not constructive and that only tends
to handicap the police force in it's ef-
forts to protect the people"
The committee appointed by the
Chamber of Commerce of the State of
New York to investigate the police and
crime situation is to hold joint ses-
sion with the chambers committee on
(contlnusd on page sIx)