The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-01-18
Diplomatic Immunity in Liquor
and Traffic Cases
Rv BILL PRICE

impetuOuS Senator bLEASE OF SOutn VdIOl1Ea
attacks the Police Department for arrestng women and re
laasn0 dinomats participating in kker'' party at
cabaret night ago he doesn't know that this diplomatic
Immunity stuff is abhorred by all Washington policemen
The District Commissioners have reported to the State De
parent instances of fragrant violations of traffic
laws by diplomatic attaches and members
families accompanied by the grosses insults to traffic
officers sought make arrests but confronted
with the immunity claim. Nothing has ever been done
about it.
The Carolina Senator though merely following his usual
trail of decryng the strict application of law the un
portant personages of life while the of
Importance get off easily maybe arrested at all
The "cotton mill boys Of South Carolina and folks who
have work for living have always been ardent sup
porters the Senator You cant blame them either be-
he is always fighting for the under dog in life
According him. bootlegge the Senate and House
Offce Buildings even under the very dome Of the
Capitol and unmoested Prohibition is only for the
poor devils haven't got the money buy liquor who
they buy in pint quantities held to the law by
enforcement officers.
Diplomatic immunity whisky should extend only to
toregn representatives in their embassies legations
When they 60 embassies which regarded
as emblemac of their respective nations they
annenabe to the laws Of this country of the District
When diplomatic openly deliberately violate traffic
laws of the District speeding when they ready and
dangrng lives they should be amenable to laws just
they would if guilty Of graver crimes
There the of few days ago Of the atache Of
Egyptian legation speeding forty miles hour The
only the policeman who followed him and
called him to account that he was in hurry.
Some time ago Washington policeman who hoped on
the running board of speeding machine had his grabbed
off his Contemptuousy thrown to the ground This
was by 1.-THE wife Of the secretary Of such and such
bassy When the officer insisted credentials he was
called dirty American pig. -
Warrington policemen simply cant help themselves
they arrest American who make themselves pals Of
foreign attaches in drinking bouts in public places they
merely their duty American women can mix in where
is without getting smeared Policemen do not make
popular laws They merely enforce them they didn't
do this they would be dismissed
The immunity of members of Congress from arrest is anti
quated should longer apply This Congressional i'm
munity had its foundation in the practices Of the early English
parlaments When royalty gave to democracy in Eng
land and Parliament established political conditions
were SO bitter that possible for royass to arrest
trumped up charges majority Of the members of Para
their meetings Of that body thereby thwartng
the will Of the people Members Of Parliament who lived
many miles away and days in getting London
because felt that the people Of
parliamentary district should not be deprived of representa-
tion especially through unfair political tactics.
No such conditions prevail in this country today.