The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-12-26
By "Twilight"


st. Paul, Minn.-While St. Paul is
having a mild winter, Red Wing has
Sommer. Mayor Nelson swung into
action after some "fddling" and did
that which certainly was a step in
the right direction, when he demand
ed the resignation of the Chief of
Police, Mr.. Sommer. There was
nothing for the chief to do when he
received the order from his superior,
but sit down and pound out the "res-
ignation," and he did it. Captain
Gebhardt is now serving as tempo
rary Chief of Police. No action, so
far as the public knows, has been
taken, in the appointment of new
Chief of Police. 1t is rumored that
the next Police Chief will be selected
from within the Police Department.
Many seem to think that Captain
Gebhardt will serve as Chief of Po-
lice until after the coming municipal
election, pointing out a political ma
neuver in the ousting of Mr.. Sommer.
However, the longer Mr.. Sudheimer
delays the appointment of a chief,
the more the whole police shakeup
will look like a prediction move.
We should watch the appointment,
or rather, the delayed appointment of
a new Chief Of Police with concern,
for political hesitations toll a long
story wonderfully well.
Mayors Action is Only a Step.
l stated that Mayor Nelson made
a step in the right direction when he
caused a stampede in the Central
Police Station. 1 used the word
"step" advisedly. The Mayors action
is only step. The public is not 60
ing to accept the "resignation' of
Chief Sommer as conclusive proof
that all will be we'll in St. Paul from
now on. There is much work ahead
for the Mayor and Commission Sud-
heimer, in so far as the St. Paul Po-
lice Department is concerned. One
card has been played on the public
table and the others should be forth
coming without much delay. These
days public officials are continually
getting themselves in a "mellova-
hess" by merely bluffing. The pub
lie is now strong on "show-downs"
and each day getting more inclined
to take official outbursts with several
grains of salt, especially when they
come "just before election, mother"
The Mayors recent activity looks
good, but then so does a shoddy suit
of clothes-ten feet away. Mayor
Nelson has the opportunity of a life
time to impress himself indelibly
upon Minnesota people as a fearless
advocate of righteousness, but will
he be big enough to take advantage
Of the door that is open unto him?
The question fingers, and negative
answer comes forward more fire.
quently than the positive.
Politics is Politics in St. Paul.
A man said to me the other day
that politics is politics in St. Paul,
and must be played according to in,
side rules or the bump is delivered
fast and furiously." He did not
state who made the "inside" rules or
did the Pumping" but then, having
had considerable experience in politi-
cal affairs, I accepted the possibility
of St. Paul political ring and let it
60 at that. Machine politics and po-
litical rings are not new in America.
Is there a man of mental weight in
the city of St. Paul who can truth
fully stand on both feet and say, with
ring of sincerity, that the Sanity
City has not had more than it's share
Of inside politics and political gang
sters. There is persistent rumor
moving along the streets of the Cap
ital City which points to the removal
of Chief Sommer as a direct result
Of Mr.. Sommer's refusal to divide
alleged police graft. Understand, it
is only a rumor and rumors are curl
GUS creatures, with no definite source
and therefore hard to run down and
establish as truth.
Troubles Lie Deep.
Any st. Paul Mayor who comes out
fearlessly for what is right will have
one merry time from the moment he
takes his oath of Office until he picks
up his personal belongings in his pri-
vate Office, where he presided for a
time as Chief Executive of the mu-
nicipality. Mayor Nelson showed
some real spunk recently, but that
one fareup is not sficient to justify
unquestioned support. All govern
mental troubles lie deeper than the
surface and involve more than one
man. In order to accomplish any
thing near real city-wide cleanup,