New-York tribune., 1922-04-07


h opening now IN civil life hat hap
peaea during the war
All the instrumentslities Of modern
civilization. all the wonderful, djscov
cries OF modern science which we sup
rGeed were to ameioriate and benefit
mankind. were Suddenly turned into
0strumentalitics Of murder and de-
secuction and slaughter and they made
waE = thousand times more horrible
tS.oa Il had ever been before.
Now We have IN this country thou
aaQs Of nter not having any par
cclsr responsibility who have been
trained 20 n@N firearms Their sense
OF responsibility has not been in
creased any. aud they have learned
ia;s rew thing that they did not know
anything about before. That creates in
ne cities-not here alone. it is all
over the nation--s condition, and the
Police need help quite as much as they
need criticism: aud while | AM not pre-
nased 10 say they do not deserve
criticism, and | am not prepared to
saE. because | do not know how ef-
1eicnt they are can see ;he other side
a. the problem. o me it is reasonably
clear that some civic organization,
which will support and coordinate
wifi the help OF the Police Department,
IS the practical and the sane way to
NtU Al Illc question:.
Other civic organizations are recog
j. ztng the need for better police pro,
lection. The Brooklyn Chamber Of
Commerce takes such a serious view
Of the situation thai 1t will hold to
day a meeting that was scheduled TO
be held next Tuesdsy night. J. Harvey
Williams, president Of the Brooklyn
chamber, discussing the swelling men
ace. said:
"A public emergency exists that
reeds drastic action, have prepared
recomm cndation to lay before our
committee tomorrow. shall suggest
trat where necessary the chamber ofc,
tSe services Of its members for special
patrol work. The calling of special
meeting Of the chamber TO consider
Jt:s siiYstion seems to ne TO be neces-
s-cY. | feel that the same conditions
~cJld not have existed under preyi
ous police administration. There was
no condition ike 1t in 1914. There IS
serious tarlt somewhere
Enright Shows No Alarm
notwithstanding the serious view Of
-ho situation that was taken by organi-
zations OF business men. by Governor
Miller and others. Com mnrissioner En-
right did not show any alarm.
There is no more crime to-day than
there was in 1917" he said in the
course of conversation with QUO re
porter. what crime We have is sim
ply more spectacular The boys have
earned the use Of pistol. That is
more spectacular and theatrical. but
10 worse than . slungshot or a black
]aga. S. Cam ,onor said tso ,owsn.
pers were wrong when they said $4,000
posIce permits had been granted for the
earrying Of pistols. The correct num-
brs, h said, was 35.10o.
rCommiss toncr Cray told me said
II. Euright, that no information had
nimbcr Of pistol permits. but as a
mft Of fact the number is 10000
MORO than tho newspapers had it. But
d onc has any right TO say that 1000
o.them were for Wall Street men. The
1ctorda are not kept so AS to show the
rdnbor Of applicants regionally.
mysc'f have no way OF telling how
lGkny OF these permits have gone to
TTll Street men. Every applicant is
ins igntcd, and ] can tell you tnat
~ refuse more than VIC grant. Whom
t'r police were first charged with
htndling the permits over 10000 we're
Isl sued. That was the total in 1913. In
Qal there were 38.723 permits issued.
: far this year it IL 35,l00. Many Of
t!sesc are for eX-soldiors who want to
e kdep war souvenirs"
Calls Gun Slight Help
." want TO say IN this connection
that revolver in the hands OF the
average person is not much protection.
It takes good deal of nerve, training
anE cool thinking 70 handle a pistol as
u ploans o5 defense. The average per
500 who gets a pistol takes it home,
cnecls it in bureau drawer. Then
;ts average person neglects to practice
WIN it. | think the times it gives pro-
le0ion are counter balanced by the mum
bef Of accidents that come from having
pistols around the house. 1t is because
ofthc number of accidents attributable
. that cause that | frown on any re-
laSatior of the existing standards in
Tie issuance of pistol permits.
eHere is something | wish to call
Il, ,tenton to: Mazagines and newspapers
catry advertisements OF pistol and re
voiver dealers, in which it is sometimes
stated that If a check is sent the
weapon will be sent by mail. | think
that She press in printing that kind
O. an advertisement is violating the
spirit Of the Sullivan 'ew. Il makes it
toe easy for a crook to get gun.
Tr1e enough, they can go over to New
jersey and get them, but we are doing
all we can to change that.
cone thing more: l believe that New
York. with its 1874 square miles inter
sected by $500 miles OF streets, is
Guarded by the smallest police force in
tie world, proportionste to population
The Commissioner said nothing yea
terday about asking for more police
men. but Special Deputy Commissioner
John a. Harrss, in charge of traffic,
said that if the city would provide 1o,-
ono additional policemen no one would
ever hear Of Crime wave" He made
this statement in the course of speech
before the Central Mercantile Associ-
stion at a luncheon in the Aldine Club
District Attorney Banton. in making
public his letter of reply to Governor
Miller. said:
THE Governor has simply put into
type what he has repeatedly said to
nc in conversation. | appreciate the
responsibility and accept it. will de
vote my best energy and ability to
bringing New York out Of the troubles
that seem to beset it. | have not rs
vet definitely made up my plans as to
the procedure will adopt, but those
plans are in progress
rOrernOr Praises Police.