The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-06-10

talnty, the state must nave SON
as well az a state constabulary.
Charged to Good Roads.
Good roads and high-powered cars
have made the escape of criminals
far more easy than was the case be-
fore the advent of these roads and
automobiles, the governor said.
I'm half or three-quarters Of an
hour person can pass into and out
Of the jurisdiction of almost any
sheriff in Minnesota by crossing his
county, the governor asserted.
when a criminal adopts this meth
Cd of escape, you should determine
whether the present system is in
adequate to changed conditions"
And 50 the governor offers his
best excuse. camouflaged as it IS,
for state police and he would have
view and join with him in a recon-
mendation to the legislature for the
passage of a bill that will give him
power to build up within tho state
strong semi-military organization
which will be as much of a menace
to human liberty as any standing
army, that ever existed.
Why Stop With State?
If here was logic in the gover-
nor's contention why should we stop
with q state police? Why not have
tho federal government esablish a
fedora! police or onstabulary? 1t
is as easy for criminal to bound
from state to state as it is for him
to escape from one county to an
other. Indeed. fugitives from Du-
luth find it safer to escape across
the river into Wisconsin than to take
ANY ch hances of capture in adjoining
counties.
enforcement in the United States was
q farce compared with Canada and
European countries. That may or
may not be true. There are many
fusitivss from foreign countries. But
they all haven't the same conception
ofs governments and human siiberty
N we have. Then too, the higher
up criminals are not protected in
foreign lands as they are here. The
proba bility is there are so many
small criminals in America because
of the fact the big criminals go
unpunished.
What About Higher Ups."
If Governor Preus would spend
one-half as much time in his
speeches on a state constabulary in
appealing for. higher moral stand
ard In our business and political
conduct as he does in condemning
rough, uncouth outlaws he would
perform a greater public service. It
is the high up, polished and scienti-
fic business and political crook who
is largely responsible for the rough
neck criminal of the lower order.
The governor is not worrying very
much about the big fellows in crime.
His chief concern is over. the little
ones who practice direct action.
All crime is bad and all criminals
are menace to society. The gov
ernor brings an indictment agsins.
the peace officers of Minnesota cities
and counties when he declares tina,
crime is rampant and criminals are
escaping in large numbers. Local
police officers contend they arr
catching as high a percentage Of law
breakers as they ever did. The get,
aways" would escape from a state
police as easy as they now evade
city officers and sheriffs. The CHIEF
fugitives are those whose crimes
have not been discovered until some
. time after they were committed
when they are we'll out of the way
Sheriffs Can Do 1t.
No, he governor does not NEAR
what he says at all. There is no RAM
pancy Of crime. There is no necessity
for state police to run down Grim
inals. Give the sheriffs of the severa
counties sufficient money to emplo!
deputies and they will do every
thing and more than a state polic'
can do
Governor Preus wants state po
lice for but one purpose and that il
to police strike districts. A STATE
consta bulary was established il
Pennsylvania to break strikes ant
thwart the efforts of miners ant
steel workers in attempts to bette
their conditions. Consa abularies wer,
established in West Virginia.. Colo
rado and Michigan for the same pur
pose. Only corporation-ridden state
have been bold enough to take owe
the peace-preserving power Of tn,
local communities.
1t Is Not American.
When Governor Preus advocate
4 state police system he is working
in direct conflict with the purpos
Of the founders of our government
Conditions may have changed an,
new methods may be necessary t.
meet them, but right principles ar
undying and unerrins. They surviv
all transitions.
One of the first principles t
which the colonists agreed was tina
in all the local governments the peo
pie should elect their own peace of
ficers. Townships elected their con