The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-10-12

| Editor Ihe star
Jan. ssiff fines. iors 81 the right
to touch the wheel % a car uch
wa. tho punishment recently prom
Is.d 10 curb ia. drunken automoohe
drivers who VERY running amuck IN
our streets. We we're slated al INC
news.
perhapa nomc OF us were wee BIT
nkcpticai az first. Seeing Was %
Inrvlng. We had been monen@fsly
appeased before by promises Of ofu'
rlals 10 enforce law long neglected.
only TO discover that the p1sdEo Was
accompanied by wink.
nut, 10. a drunken speedsr was
hailed into court. fined tieo. sen
fenced 10 30 days In jail. and hiH
ucen.s revoked Even our nisSis'
ing that perhaps this man had sim
My been singled out as a hofrio''
example" 10 other spreaesn. was 70
DO dissIpated. Mere arrests ~srr
made. and similar punlshmsns fnssed
out.
Hail Jumpers wsre hAiea in.o
court. That sase us more Gauss 20
appiaud the yigor with which ,hc
law was being enforced
Then an incident occurred that al
fordsd every opportunity TO test the
real slneerity of purpose. tho conaci'
ensious zeal. and the rclsntleHs sixof
with which the crusade was being
uunhed 10 make our streets safer. a
policeman In the performances OF ms
duty. placed under arrest man wssh
an avowe<i -drag''--that drag DC
ing This mans by virtue Of his AT
nflatlon with and nomination by a
po,l,lcai party. That policeman. We
s.l,. must have fought grsa, emo
tlonai battle. There was duty on one
hand. and fear inspired BY the awful
power OF tho political octopus on inc
other. 4, i. not hard 20 Visualize
,he supreme courage that the police
man must have summoned TO dare
10 make such an arrest. IL was an
exsmpLry act In these times OF DC
clinlng respect for our public inau'
tutsons. and the men who run them.
The day Of the trial arrived. Tn
doubtedly many gave the politician
the benefit Of the doubt Perhaps
hia reputation deserved u. We know
no,htng OF his character and per.
sonai habits. That was not the I'M
portant thing. The point was ina,
the trial Of a high local parsonage
was about to begin. The evidence
uoon which the arrest was based was
what held tho important interest.
The defendent was present a
strange thing In this era OF ooooed
ha,r. booze and bail jumpers. Then
a curious thing happened. The ar
resting officer was not present.
without the policeman. who was
proaecntinx witness. there was no
ease. Character witnesses were pro
duced In abundance. Tho defendant
haa been observed that day. or q
wear ago. or in hts cradie--it matters
not when--SOBER. That sufficed.
A shocked Judge dismissed the case
and. no doubt. would have gladly
recommended that the entire pro
ceedings be incorporated In the Con-
ererslonai Record. and sent out UNI
der frank, II such thing were WIN
In the realm OF possibility.
And what Of the policeman Did
anybody wonder where he was al
this particular moment7 Did the
honorable judge inquire as to tho
policeman's whcreabouts7 Bail Jump
era In such serious cases arc now
dragged into court thru process, 80
we are Informed. but policemen. we
have been led to believe. are In the
habit OF coming when called for by
their superiors Was this policeman
bigger than the Department. Bigger
than the law? No. we will give the
blue coat the benefit OF the doubt.
He won tho first battle with him
self. No doubt when no listened 10
the threats OF the politician upon the
occasion OF the arrest he said TO him.
self. "I'il show this petty. peanut
politician that the law Is bigger than
no Is by sight" II IL not
reasonable 10 suppose that the 20.
Iiceman wavered, and besides IL re.
mains for moving picture policemen
only TO act also I'm the capacity OF
prosecutor. Judge and jury. There is
not a shadow OF doubt but that In
remaining away from the court room
he simply obeyed orders. Undoubt-
eddy, II was a very reluctant police.
man, and. no doubt. Illuminated
one. who could not attens the trial"
and defend his own reputation in the
matter.