Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-16
HONESTY Is HAMSTRUNG BY
EFFORTS TO CHECK ABUSES
Civil Service Regulations and Business
Lave Are Based on the Assumption
That Men Cannot Be Trusted
to No Pabt

d AIMOND FOSDICK'S criticism Of the
In civil service laws as theg apply TO the
control of the police f0ils 30 give duo weight
70 the theory that is back of nearly all the
reform laws Of modern times IL not of an
tiQuity.
That theory is that all men are dishonest
and can be prevented from improper use of
opportunity only by the passage of penal
statutes. Under the spOils system Office
was a reward for party service. The man
who refused to obey the orders of the boss
was dismissed without mercy and more
complaisant man was put in his place.
Under this system the police force of the
large cities was frequently used as black
mailing device TO force tribute from the pur-
veyors of vice. The officer who refused TO
levy on the keepers of vicious resorts was
reduced in rank or dismissed or life on the
force was made so unpleasant that he re-
signed.
In order 10 stop this sort Of thing laws
we're passed providing for the appointment
and promotion Of policemen under the d.
rection of civil service commissions. and
the removal of a policeman save on proof
of actual misconduct was forbidden.
The plan has not worked ideally, but it
has removed some Of the abuses. It has
tied the hands OF the crooked mayors and
police commissioners. But it has also tied
the hands of honest executive officers. They
may not remove a policeman against whom
there is a moral presumption of unitness.
There must be positive evidence that will
convince jury. And as there is usually
n conspiracy Of silence among the members
of the force, It is almost impossible to get
such evidence.
As n result the efficiency of an honest
Mayor is lesSened in order that the power
for evil of a dishonest mayor may be weak
Cncd. In the present state of distrust of
the motives of the politicians it is not likely
that there will be any radical change in
the laws.
The same suspicion Of the honesty OF men
is embodied in most of the restrictive busi-
ness legislation. All sorts of regulations
have been made TO prevent men from doing
business unfairly. They are so restrictive
that they hamper men who would no more
think of doing o dishonest thing than they
would consider numbering their wives And
the laws are so complicated that no one can
tell whether any new business enterprise
which involves combination of two legiti-
mate enterprises is criminal or not. Arbi-
trary and artificial crimes have been created
by statute, and no man can tell when he
will be arralgned in court to answer penal
charges.
The lawmakers have for years been in
the mood of Hamlet. who, when one of his
friends remarked that the world had grown
honest. texclaimed. Then is dooms,iay
near The world is dishonest. according
to them. aud laws must be made to protect
II from the consequences of its own vicious
purposes. But every one knows that no
successful business has been founded upon
essential dishonesty. The late J. p. Morgan
once said that character was the most val
liable asset that business man possessed,
and every business man knows that there
would be few commercial transactions If it
we're not for the faith which men have in
the integrity of one another
When we discover that it is the rDlsdeods
OF the minority which hamper the majority
there may be a prospect that the majority
will frown so blackly upon the minority Is
to discourage its crookcdness. Then some
OF the hnmpering legislation may be re.
pealed. But it is not likely 70 bc rcpcaIcd
until that time.