San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-26
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.

Copyright. by The San Antonio Light.
New York. Oct. 28.--Here's a
brand new wrinkle in the radio. The
police of the City of New York are
using it to make almost daily reports
of their activities and their aims to
the people.
Taking the police to the home and
fireside," they call it, and the idea is
to offset all that the people read
in the papers about holdups and day
light robbers and the murder of bank
messengers with payrolls in their pos
session.
The commissioner of police, Mr..
Enright. 1.-THE best commissioner New
York ever had" his friends say. has
been doing most of the radio talking
and there is no denying he is some
advocate for his department. The
commissioner believes his idea will
spread TO other big cities and that
through il the people will get an en-
tirely different perspective on their
police departments.
They are also going TO have here
in New York series of mass meet
ings devoted TO "praise the police"
The coppers have been asked to dis
tribute tickets 10 the meetings, but
when you talk TO them on the sub
ject they laconically say it is "the
bunk" The ordinary cop does not
feel that he needs any praise. II is
the "higher ups" who feel the sting
of public criticism and are endeavor-
ing to start the back fire.
Everyone admits that it is easy to
"praise the police" and they also adj
nit that the police deserve the praise
But it is feared if there is too much
praise it will spur the critics on TO
greater efforts and the police may get
the worst of it in the end.
A Four-Hour JOB"
Some of the recent robberies in the
metropolis have been startling affairs.
There was, for instance. the pillaging
of big wholesale fur concern. The
robbers chartered heavy motor truck
for their work. They walked into the
loft building, tied up the lone watch
man. and then proceeded TO load the
truck. Four times they loaded the
truck and drove it away. The Job"
continued for four hours. Where the
robbers stored their rich haul no one
seems TO know.
The radio has not revealed the
cache. But in some of the out-of-the-
way streets downtown you can find
rough looking men offering to sell you
neckpieces and the like at virtually
your own price. They do not have
the goods with them and few custom
ers" apparently care to risk trip
TO their den.
A big silk robbery recently was
followed by a display advertisement
in the trade papers offering $4,000
| reward for information leading ia
the recovery of the property and "no
questions asked" meaning that the
police were not being relied upon in
| the matter.
Commissioner Enrights latest tall
on the radio is likely to cause hin
some trouble. He dealt crushing
blow at the hopes OF the very wet'
| by saying that he was convinced thu
eighteenth amendment would never b
repealed aip.,sur life time. " IT il
not 10 be denied that there are plenty
atmosphere of Greater New York who
have believed that a revolutionary
sentiment against the prohibition
| amendment was SWEEPING inc CouH'i!
Commissioner Enright has seen beyond
the Harlem river, however. and knows
that no such sentiment can be mar
shaded into effective action.
Beer and Wines-Maybe.
The commissioner softened his blow
as best he could by saying he also
thought there should be a modifica
ton Of the Volstead act 10 permit @
liberal amount of alcoholic content IL
beers and wines. .,
Then he took new tack and said
that by now all the saloons selling
liquor in New York City would have
| been wiped out of existence If II
had not been for the repeal of thu
state enforcement act, signed by Gov
ernor Al Smith. To many politicians
this statement by the commissioner
smacks of lese majestic TO the boy
who went from the Bowery to th'
governors chair.
Perhaps the commissioner thought
that on the radio there were no re
porters present But here again HI
was wrong. His broadcasting has
been watched by the vigilant press
boys" showing that nowadays a mar
cannot use the thin ether without
having the record pulled on him wher