The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-20
PEOPLES FORUM
More Policemen, More Pny


 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Reading about that our police men wanted more pay, I asked one of them, How many have we?" One hundred and three was the answer. That was a surprise to me. A city, advancing, develop ing, growing as our fair city, al- ways has a certain amount of "floaters," adventurers, who want to live off the other fellow-by chance or game. That 103 police men are able to handle it all be- speaks well for our jovial Chief McDuff and his efficient force. One hundred and three men to cover the city, while many of them are traffic officers, etc. Pay them! For they have no chance we don't want them to make any thing 'on the side" Neither they nor the people can afford that.
 It Is indeed gratifying to note many of them have bought homes; it shows they have faith in Bir- mingham, are far r-sighted and pro- gressive. "No place like home" If they only pay off on home what rents would amount to, they save that much. and whatever work is done on house or ground is theirs.
 Then. again considering their position; under any and all cir cumstances they have to dare it all-thief, robber, murderer. even Satan himself; risk life and limb. If people would only stop long enough to think; the policemen are their best friends In order for the police to handle properly "alI comers." pay them well and add one hundred and three more new men now and keep on adding IS we grow, one man for each thou sand population. Hats off to McDuff's finest" our police force.
 J. P. HOLM.
 Birmingham, Ala. Sept. 15, 1923.
 Wants Constitution Taught To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 A few days past Lieutenant Col onel L. o. Mathews wrote a very interesting letter to The Age-Her- aid, which was published in the Peoples Forum. The article, en- titled Constitution Week." was certainly wonderful article. and wish that Colonel Mathews sug- gestion could be carried out.
 In this day of many blessings. there should be no complaint. But through ignorance on the part of the masses, we have a great deal of social unrest. Social unrest ul- timately terminates in revolution, and revolution termipates in de- struction. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound, If not a ton, of cure. After people have, through misapprehension, caused revolu- tion and destroyed our great insti- tutions, then 1t will be too late to make amends, but we must strike while the iron is~hot. We must give our people, young and old. white and black, American born and foreign born. instruction In our system so that all parties could know and realize what great republic we live in and what a superior system of laws we have created.
 than the seventh grade of gram mar stflOOi. NOT InlS reason 1 would like to see study of our constitution placed in the seventh grade and in each year of the high school. so that the young Americans, and young children of the foreign born. could see and know what a wonderful nation they are living in. If people only knew what their rights are, there would be no one to complain of our nation. If the children and grandchildren of the foreign i'm migrants only knew what the rights of Americans are, and how they measure up against the rights of European nations, there would beano children of foreigners to call themselves English, Ger mans. Greeks, but they would proudly call themselves Americans. The only way to teach American- ism is to teach the constitution
 T. c. McNEAL
 Birmingham,~ Ala. Sept. ,1S, 1923