Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-08
MORE CANCELLED CHECKS SHOW
ANARCHY MASKED AS POLITICS
Mayor Moore Can Trace Some Really
Dangerous Radicals by Clues Found
In His Gambling Raids


Tn A safe found in one of the gambling
1 dens raided by Director Cortelyou's out
of-town police were two cancelled checks
which astounded City Hall They are said
TO represent payments Of graft 10 some of
the politically elite. If Mr.. Cortelyou's
broad implications are to be taken at their
face value.
Here. then. IL more political high eI.
plosive Of the sort that blew Mr.. Beidleman
and the Harrisburg MACHINE into the high
air only q few months ago. II marks the
beginning Of a trail which. of course, the
Mayor will follow to the headquarters Of the
banditti who seem to be the real rulers of
Philadelphia.
The quest may bring Mr.. Moore face 10
face with his mysterious Four Certain Men
men whose names he wouldn't reveal when
he uttered his famous phrase, though they
were known TO everybody who knows any
thing about the ways Of factions in this
community. 1t may show that police off
cials supposed TO be honest have been cap
tured. trained and put 10 work by the
crooks they are sent to catch.
Neither the Mayor nor the District Attor-
nay nor the Director of Public Safety has
a legal or moral right TO shield such groups.
Neither party interest nor a desire for COM
promise nor personal reasons nor even the
welfare of the Administration itself could
justify reticence or pussyfootng in cases
like the present one 1t is useless TO harass
little criminals while big criminals bask in
immunity.
l. No one in authority can encourage that
sort Of thing without seeming to give official
sanction 10 systematic outlawry. A rich or
influential crook, Is no less reprehensible,
certainly, than poor and skulking one.
Yet there persists in this city-and indeed.
In many other parts of the country--a feel
ing that it isn't chubby or ethical or even
quite right TO expose criminals who happen
10 he socially or politically above the aver
age. And these are the criminals who do
most of the harm.
Mr.. Moore and Director Coreyou and
Mr.. Rotan know that tongs which presume
10 govern Philadelphia from ward club
rooms and from the back rooms Of saloons
survive largely because of the laws of politi-
cal courtesy, and that when political and
non. political crooks look alike to elected
officials factionist yeggmen wifi have to do
some honest work for living.
Thus IL Mr., Moore had fought his Four
Certain Men in the open. had be been less
sensitive TO the subter rules of he political
game and a little more willing to make
better rules of his own he might not now
he a baned. thwarted. cheated executive
fumbling desperately with machinery filed
with monkey wrenches and hardly knowing
which police assistant he can trust.
The political heavens and the political
earth hereabouts will be moved 10 keep the
light Of day from those two Cancelled checks.
Party and personal influence will be used
10 divert the Mayor and the District At
torney from the course OF investigation sug-
gested by their discovery. II the chase is
not pressed. the gang that was stunned
slightly by Pinchots nomination will
emerge from the scufie little more AFRO.
CANT and reckless than it was before.
And this community. like others in which
thugs and plunderers are permitted 70 con-
troll the police and administrative systems.
will have drifted a little further toward a
state Of political anarchy.
"nen people OUTSIDE or pOlltics organize
secretly to Illustrate or openly defy the law
they are called anarchists. They are de-
ported or sent TO Jail. Quite properly they
are classed as enemies Of the state and a
menace to public order.
When people inside politics organize Sc.
! cretly to frustrats and defy the law and
| 10 conspire against the system of elected
| representation and legal authority, they are
called The Boys.
Familiarity with the work of politica
corruptlonists has hardened the America n
| conscience and made resigned acceptance
the general rule. The fact remains that
none of the radicals Of whom so much was
said and written during and after the war
was half so dangerous 10 American institu
! lions az some Of the men who call themselves
respectable and get themselves elected to
| Office or chosen as leaders.
The sub bosses who actually managed 10
take control Of the police department out of
the hands of the Mayor and the Director of
Public Safety are anarchists according to
every rule Of logic and the dictonsry's def +.
milton Of that generally mtsused word