Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Fifty years ago a labor agitator
named Isaac Cohen appeared in WASH
ington and began stirring
Oonen up the workingmen to the
robor+s point of making public de-
OonortS' mands upon the author
tiles for employment on District and
Government works at minimum wage
of $1.50 day. Cohen and his banu
marched through the city and held
meetings on the steps OF public build
ings, creating dangerous state of feel
ing. The police tolerated this condition
for several days and finally threatened
Cohen with arrest, which had the effect
of subduing him and checking the
demonstrations. Out-of-town news
papers commented severely upon the
tolerance shown this agitator, and The
Star in its issue of September IS, 1879.
referring to these publications, part of
which it printed, said:
These expressions of opinion are
anything but flattering either to our
Government or our people. Naturally
enough, the view is everywhere held
that the Capital of the United States
is the enc place Of all others where
law and order should at all times
reign supreme: and when it is seen
that both are disregarded and tram
pied under foot at the sweet will of
any miserable loafer who comes along
and who is not himself laboring man
and does not want work, the surprise
and indignation of the country are
naturally very great and freely ex-
pressed. Naturally enough, too. these
expressions are directed not more
against the diSturberS of the peace
than against the public authorities who
have failed to suppress them and thei'
kind long ago.
1T has been commonly urged in
behalf of those in power that there are
no laws covering such cases and that
they are, or have 6N, without any
legal authority to act A Ghe premises.
This may or may not % true. The
fact that way to put sop to the
outrages complained Of has at last
been found would justify the inference
that it is not true. But If it is true, ii
can only be accepted as an explanation
to certain extent. and not as al
excuse. 1t is as much the duty Of
those who assume to govern a COM
munity to secure the passage of such
laws as are necessary to protect society
as it is to enforce those already on the
statute books.
1T has long been asserted. and prob
ably with great deal of truth, by
policemen. justices of the peace and
other minor officials that the laws OF
the District relating to burglary. pick
pockets, larceny. vagrancy and perhaps
other grades or varieties OF crime are
not sufficiently broad or strong to meet
the cases constantly presented. Moth
ing, we venture to say. would be easier
than to remove all such grounds of
complaint, if those who are response
BILE for the good government Of the
District would take such interest in the
welfare of the public as the public has
a right to expect at their hands. For
example, let the District Commission
ers. the judges of the several courts, the
numerous District attorneys and the
chief of police consider and constitute
themselves for the time being, a COM
mittee of public safety. These Officers
know exactly what is lacking in exist
ing laws and what is required to reduce
to a minimum the percentage of crime
of all kinds In the District of Columbi&.
Their experience and knowledge of the
whole subject will enable them in a
little time to prepare and procure tne
passage by Congress of criminal code
relating to this District which would
at once make Washington the best. a,
it is now the worst, governed city IN
the country"