The Washington times., 1922-04-20
ON FIRM
FOOTING,
He SAYS
Commissioner Insists, How
ever, Mrs. Van Wrinkle Must
Obey Chiefs Orders.

+
footing today than it has been
since it was first created.
This, in substance, was the dec
laration today. of Commissioner
James F. Oyster, in charge of the
police department.
abolish the bureau?" said the
commissioner. 'fNeverl At least
while have q say about it.
"The Woman's Bureau is doing
fine work. / shall never make any
recommendation during my admin
istration that would cripple the
good service it is rendering"
Abolition Rumor Hasted.
The Commissioners declaration
was apropos to the report that dis
cussion had been had looking toward
the abolition of the bureau and plac-
ing such policewomen as may be re-
tained under the direction of In
spector OF Detectives Clifford IL.
Grant.
THE only thing we ask of the
Woman's Bureau is that the police
under the game rules that we lay
down for policemen and that they
simply must realize that they have
to obey ORDERS" the Commissioner
said.
Mrs. Nina c. Van Wrinkle, lieu
tenant of police in charge of the
woman's Bureau, was before the
trial board recently and was rebuked
for not "comprehending the cardinal
principle of discipline" which should
prevail in the Police Department.
In a public address last fall before
the convention of the international
Association of Identification, Mrs
Van Wrinkle said that there is diff
ference between men and women in
the matter OF taking orders, and
added:
You know we women do not
know how to take orders, and that
is why men believe we want to run
the world In our own way, and /
think that is little bit true"
Sficlsler for Discipline.
Commissioner Oyster holds that
discipline is one of the prime fac
tors I'm getting the best out of a
police department and he declared
he would back the major and super
intendent to the limit in carrying
out such a policy.
The Woman's Bureau does not
belong under the Detective Bureau,
the Commissioner said today, but
twill continue TO be under the juris-
diction of the major and superin-
tendent."
Mrs Van Wrinkle is again in the
good graces of Major Daniel Sulli-
van The major and superinten-
dent called on Mrs. Van Winkle for
an accounting Monday for the
statement she made to represen-
tatiyes of the press that:
The chief of police is ignorant of
what is going on in the department
until the bomb has exploded" and
further declared that "the chief of
police should make the detective
bureau behave"
Major Sullivan invoked section No.
Ss, of the police manual, which says;
Members of the force shall not:
First seek notoriety through the
public press"
Sought After BY Press.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle, in a written
statement to the Major, explained
that she had not sought members OF
the press to make her statement,
but had been sought by the press
She also said she did not intend to
convey the impression that the head
of the department was inefficient or
ignorant about his department.
National propaganda in the inter-
est OF policewomen here and In other
cities is being undertaken by Mrs
Van Winkle. In the current issue of
The Union Signal, official publication
~ hn MattnnnI NUAn,a.ata
Temperance Union, Mrs. Van Wrinkle
contributed p leading article on tae
subject, What Is Policewoman?"
In question and answer form, Mrs.
Van Wrinkle points out what police
women are, and tells how the w. G.
L. u. can aid them. One wey the
union can help. she says, is:
by watching the work OF police
women after appointment and keep
ing informed as TO whether the police
chief and the police department, in
general. are I'm sympathy with their
work, and enabling them tu give to
the community their best service"
Answering the question, Els the w.
c. II. u. prepared to carry forward
this work. Mrs. Van winkle says:
Police officers Servants.
Mot, only should the w. C. T.. u.
see that policewomen are appointed,
but Il should make sure that every
police department. honestly performs
the duties for which II was organized
and that the police chiefs be not
made the footballs OF politics"
Further answering the question.
Mrs. Van Winltle says:
You have the right to exact of
your chief of police the same sincere
leadership that you exact OF the
nsrgyman In your church.
"A corrupt police department can
block the best work OF police
women,
Corruption is not inherent I'm a
police department; IL comes from
without.
Good citizens are In the majority
but SIT supinely by while the cor
rupting minority rule. Instead Of
constructive criticism and help there
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