Evening star., 1925-11-08
.sBEATINC UP' RUM RUNNERS
AROUSES VARIED OPINIONS
Bootleggers Declare Brutality Unnecessary Offend
Are Desperate and Ready to Kill, Police
Retort-Citizens Who Witnessed Rough
Methods Are Apathetic.

the police. One man struck the driver
"a powerful blow on the jaw. Another
then reached in and dragged him bodi-
ly from the machine-he was Of small
Stature-and hurled him into the
police car. And a gathering crowd
heard a 'ker-Smackii' of fist against
face as the man landed in the
machine.
Car Owners Suffer.
From this case two points emerge.
The citizens who noticed the alleged
brutality did not have sufficient inter
est to take it up with the proper
authorities and see it through. Sec
ond, there was some damage. redress
for which was not obtainable from the
District government, whose automo-
bile was the direct cause of the dam
age-by Side-swiping the fugitive car
into the parked cars. Suit cannot be
brought against the District for in
jurieS sustained in the exercise of
police powers by lawfully authorized
officers-the individual officers alone
are liable.
That's just one of the stories cited as
an example of the material designated
as merely wet propaganda" by the
police.
Police, however, have something to
runners.
The general police attitude. compiled
from interviews with those engaged in
enforcing the prohibition laws here. is
that these men are uniformly danger
Gus; they are no reSpeCters of person
or property; they are outside the
pale of social responsibilities.
Potential Murderers.
Here's what the police maintain:
These men have proved them
selves. Every time they have had an
opportunity to ditch a machine and
possibly kill its occupants they have
taken advantage of 1t.
They're dangerous. Time and
again we find them riding the streets
recklessly with .45s on the seat beside
them ready to beat down any opposi
ton TO their unlawful activities by the
taking of human life if need be.
They're treacherous. When they
have the drop on a policeman they
don't hesitate to put themselves in a
safe position and do their utmost to
frustrate all efforts to cope with them
They'll take all advantages of an
emergency and show no quarter
They're out to break the law and
to break any one who tries TO stop
them. If we knuckle down to them
rum runners could just as easily
create a reign of terrorism here as
not. If we take what they give us
like milksops we'd be criticized for
being cowardly If we oppose force
with force we're criticized for being
brutes and bullies. Whatever we do
we get the blame from some quarter
SO we may as we'll enforce the law
and take the consequences as be neg
npPnr r.tf fr1S Cyrtl-
of it,
This survey shows that no matter
what charges are laid against the
police they are representatives of the
law. No matter what excuses are
preferred by the other element they
are outside the law.
OF course, the reputation of a per-
son means something. If a frame-up
is attempted the person framed" will
find plenty of good lawyers in Wash
fngton ready to take up the cause OF
Justice. A grand jury sits at the
Courthouse to listen to any we'll
founded story of injustice.
Lack "Clean Hands,"
The "boys," who complain about the
| police, charge that they can get no
fair hearing of their charges, but
they forget that once arrested under
| lile NolSledu INV ana once convicted,
they have lost somewhat the power
they had under the Constitution s
Bill of Rights that they had before
their words lack the weight they had
before.
Maj. Hesse, as chief of police. has
announced his intention of standing
| behind his policemen-but he has
made it equally emphatic that if in
Justice or deliberate persecution is
brought to him in bona fide case.
his action will be just as drastic in
seeking punishment for offenders, no
matter who they may be, as it is in
! seeking to have the statutory law
| carried out
That's the situation. Police are
| charged with brutality by bootleggers;
bootleggers are charged with vicious.
| ness by the police. Part of the public
| sympathizes with the bootlegger
every time one of them is killed. There
is little sympathy, apparently, for the
police. Yet the police are the sery-
| ants of the public. Any well substan.
tiated case of brutality, carelessness
| or recklessness on their part. police
officials promise, will receive i'm
! mediate attention.