The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-16
NO MEaH POLITICS
2. Making the Punishment Fit the Crime

ing most of his time as mayor in making
the punishment fit the crime. The crime
usually is committed by city employe and
consists of not being right politically.
This matter Of being right politically is
serious problem at the city hall. Just what
is right politically changing from day to day.
Sometimes it changes several times day. 1t
was suggested that a bulletin board be IN
stalled in the lobby of the city hall telling just
what or whom the mayor favors at the particu-
lar moment. This finally was declared imprac-
tical, however because no one was found who
could print the bulletins with sufficient ra-
pidity. ssgs~
For instance not so long ago, it was as
much as city employees job was worth to adj
NIT he had as much as heard of Charlie jew
EFT or Ralph Lemcke Il any one had even sug-
gested that he thought Ralph or Charlie should
be elected to anything the punishment would
Immediately have been made to fit the crime
The employee might even have had to go to
work
But now all is changed
The Mikado handed down to all his sub
jects this edict
"Whosoever is not for Lemcke loses his
job forthwith"
Whereupon, everybody at the city hall
Immediately changed his or her mind about the
whole political lineup and started admiring
Ralph Lemcke.
TT1HAT is, nearly everybody did. There
! were some, it seems, in the police depart
ment who either had not heard Of the edict or
who didn't value their jobs particularly. Any
way Lew and his executioner Bill, and his man
of all trades, Police Captain John Zener, got
Their heads together and decided that these
policemen were not good policemen.
But before the heads of these policemen
could be laid across the chopping block some
thing happened. A police captain who was
politically righteous, or, at least, right politi
cally, proceeded to clean up on two police Off
GERS who were not. He used only his bare fists,
but he did pretty thorough job of it.
Did this embarrass Lew and his cour-
tiersf Not bit Of it
They went right ahead and reduced the
two officers who were not right politically
They allowed the captain who was right politi-
cally to keep his job They did not even slap
him on the wrist 1t is not crime for police
man who is right politically to beat Up two
policemen who are not right politically. The
crime consists solely in not being right politi-
cally.
tn UT politics is not the only subject about
- which Lew and his followers change
their minds. Remember when Lew was cam
paigning for mayor. he remarked something
like this in many Of his speeches:
"Boys, this bird Charlie Jewett and his
crowd are telling you that when / was mayor
before the street car company had string
tied to me. Those guys wrong as usual.
The street car company had a rope tied to me.
But I've got that rope cut. Now just Let 'em
dare ask for anything We're going to have
crosstown lines and low fares and service"
Whereupon the crowd yelled and elected
Lew.
For the first few, days Of the administra-
ton everybody in the city hall was against the
street car company. They called it names
and attempted to make nasty remarks about
it In front of Lew as often as possible. Then
suddenly one bright morning the word was
passed around that it was right to be strong
for the street car company. Some Of the boys
and girls in the city hall just succeeded in es-
Gaping with their jobs. Some of them haven't
got ever the scare yet.
Things had changed. Some of the office
holders even considered having crayon por-
traits Of Robert I. Todd hung in their Offices.
The street car company got everything it
wanted and higher fares were put into effect
among the cheers Of the multitude Of city
employees
There isn't much question at the city hall
as to what the punishment for crime is The
serious problem is what and when is the