The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-16
Kansas Peace Officers Ask Pub
lie to Cooperate.
Newton Purcell Is Elected Presi-
dent of n. p. o. A.
DAVIS OFFERS ASSISTANCE
Urges Sheriffs to Catch Boot
leggers and Tax Dodgers.
Lack of Respect for Law Great
est AiIment, Says Wark.

The keynote of the entire program
of the meeting of the Kansas Peace
Officers association, in Representa-
tive hall. has been an appeal for the
cooperation of the citizens of the
state in he enforcement of the laws
which those citizens themselves have
made-so far as the theory of pOpu-
lar COVER rent is concerned-or, at
least. the approval of the public in
the enforce -ncnt of those laws
Every speaker before the peace Of
ficers. and especially the president OF
the association, W. T. Clark, sheriff OF
Reno county, as stressed the popular
indifference or open antagonism TO 4
law.
Purcell Elected President
Newton Purcell, sheriff of Butler
county, was elected president of the
Kansas Peace Officers association at
the closing session Of the annual meet
ing, this afternct n. r. l. CARY, spe-
cial agent of the Missouri Pacific rail-
road. at Wichita, was reelected secre-
tary-treasurer- Other officers elected
We're: l. T. Hussey, state fire mar
shal. first vice president Robert
Miller. sheriff of Shawnee county, sec
ond vice president: Carl Moore. sheriff
OF Cloud county, third vice president;
r. G. Burgess. chief of police at
Hutchinson. fourth vice president, and
Ben Judkins, special agent Of the Rock
Island in Topeka
4 resol. tior was passed endorsing
n Y. Anderson. head of a private de-
tective agency at Salina. for the office
OF warden of the state penitentiary in
event Governor elect Davis made
new appointment
Davis Offers To Cooperate
Governor-elect Jonathan NJ. Davis,
in his talk this MOI ming. promised the
sheriffs his cooperation in the en- /
forcement of law. and turning to the ,
economic problems which confront the J
state today. declared that one OF the {
duties of the sheriffs is to hunt down
tax svaders with the same ardor with !
which he hunts down bootleggers- 5
There is a general feeling that the
taxes are too high, and governmental s
expenditure is too great. One or the |
chief causas Of this Is the laXity in 1
getting property on the tax rolls the I
governor declared I
Dr. Kulp Urges Respect !
The same demand for public respect {
for law was sounde,; in the address of
DR. +. J Kulp. pastor of the First
Methodist Episcopal church. who de-
clared that there is a strain of law
lessness in every worth while Ameri-
the nation has always been a pioneer |
nation and that the American has al
ways an independent spirit which is
impatient of restraint by law.
We don't believe in enforcing laws, ]
we believe in making them, and then
electing peace officers to see il they
can make US keep them" Dr. Kulp '
declared. He urged the spirit of pa I
triOtism as an essential in fostering the I
spirit in the citizenry. of respect for /
law and obedience to 1t. !
The same theme showed In the res :
olutions which were passed by the as {
sOciation. against the present parole
system of the state as q breeder of +
crime since the criminal believes he ,
Will be able to escape. thru its work r
ing the consequences of his crime /
when public sentiment demands his \
parole.
Cause of Crime Wave. ;
1.-The present crime wave is directly {
chargeab BILE to the liberality of paroles {
TO felons.' one of the resolutions de- (
clared. !
The peace officers instructed their i
legislative committee to work for a !
law compelling county commissioners
to offer a reward of one half the bonds Z
forfeited when felOn Jumps his q
Reverting to the parole system, the :
peace officers passed a resolution op- !
posing the parole of Audrey Caplinger. 6
sentenced to life imprisonment for the
murder OF Detective William Hum
phrey, and for whose parole there is
an agitation. Copies Of the resolu-
ton are to be sent to the members of ,
the state parole board.
a business session this afternoon at
which officers will he elected. the ap-
puintment OF committees for the COM 8
ing year will be made and the report \
pointed Friday will be received, will :
end the convention :
Lack Respect for Law. 6
Lack OF respect for law rather than T
lack of law enforcement. is the one o
greatest ailment of the nation today, +
Wark told the officers. ]
Wark expressed the opinion that
there is a tendency to overestimate
" "hootch" crime element: that i'll
Tact the automobile. for instance.
might more appropriately be cIassed :
as "A runniug mate for crime-a con-
venient conveyance for the criminal
as well as a continual source of dam
ger in the hands of the careless J
driver. netting. in the United States =
alone. one person killed on an aver 1
age OF every forty minutes during the
cay; in Kansas alone. 166 persons T
killed last year. he said. v
When the possession of liquor be- .
comes a disgrace instead of distinc- d
ton, hootch and the crimes attendant
date.
Want Too Many Laws d
The trouble is we have too many a
people VINO want laws passed forbid s
ing everybody else doing everything il
hey don't enjoy doing and they are c
Iust the reverse with hootch- They +
want a law passed keeping everybody s
from having a drink except them q
selves. =
IF the people insisted. this country +,
could be made absolutely dry in s,
wenty-four hours Public sentiment
makes all the laws and public senti-
nent enforces all the laws. Your pub
ic officials are what you demand of o
hem The trouble is, people are In :
iifferenL careless and, sad to say, too e
'ften don't want a particular law en- Il
orced and say particular in ref G