Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-08

SENATOI
enforcement in the District. This Is
the necessity for cooperation between
the police and the prohibition unit in
the enforcement of the national prohi-
bition act. Legislation is needed to de-
velop the desired harmony of action
between the District and Federal
officers.
Definite Law Is Urged.
1T is imperative to the interests of
the city and to the Self-respect of our
Nation that the District be provided
! with clear, definite law governing
the enforcement of prohibition. Presi-
! dent Hoover saw the need for this
! when he wrote in his message:
There is need for legislation in the
District experimenting the national
! prohibition 2ct more sharply defining
and enlarging the duties and powers OF
| the District Commissioners and the
! police of the District, and opening the
| way for better cooperation in the en-
| forcement of prohibition between the
District officials and the prohibition
| officers of the Federal Government
THAT is q clean-cut statement of the
present situation. Under present con-
! ditionS, there exists considerable doubt
! as to the extent of participation of the
! District government in the enforcement
/ program. This has engendered an I'M
! desirable feeling of lack of authority
| over prohibition matters in the Police
Department, from the highest official
| down. A law such as President Hoover
recommends will give our enforcement
! agencies, local and national, confidence
i'll their respective positions. This law
should be on the books before the close
of the present session.
Il have given you, in these remarks
the merest outline of the most serious
problem facing the District today But
if dwelt upon the subject for hours.
could make no more important appeal
than this: That the greatest task before
American citizens today is to educate
themselves to respect the mandates of
their Constitution and their Nations
laws. They must endeavor diligently to
see that the Constitution is implicitly
! observed and the laws enforced impair
TALLY and honestly.
Stresses Universal Obedience.
EVERY citizen must arouse himself to
| the crying need of this time to honor
/ and abide by the laws of this republic
/ There is no man in high position, and
| there is none so humble, who can afford
to be recreant TO his duty as an Ameri-
! can citizen.
The President looks to the District to
| defend its fair name, and to justify its
| unblemished reputation, III the face of
| bitter attacks upon the administration
! Of laws in the Nations Capital. Con-
! greSS must help the District by giving
/ TO enforcement agencies the legal aid
they now lack.
Nov, let us consider our Police De-
partment. This is our first line of de-
Ia
clety. 1t must present a united front
to the forces OF crime. There must be
no break i'll the line. 1t must not be
weakened by inetticiency or diSloyalty
we need men Of high order of intel
| ligence and integrity TO hold this line
against crime. We must get them.
Severe criticism has been made OF
! the local police. Some of it probably
! is justified. However. when the vari-
| Gus complaints are examined. it is gen.
orally discovered that they are directed
not against the Police Department as q
unit, but against certain individuals. II
these men have been lacking in eff
cheney, honesty or proper respect fol-
the public'S rights, they do not belong
in the Police Department.
We must attract more high grade
men to the police service. We must
weed out the morally unfit. But how
"One cannot persuade them to leave
more lucrative positions for low police
pay and the hazards Of police work. Al
the present scale Of pay the department
must take such men as 1t may obtain
or go without.
Pay Raise Seen as Remedy.
IT think we have the remedy to thi,
condition i'll bill to increase the pa!
INP 10, I1lli -.
and Fire Departments. Nor am alone
in this belief. Prominent Washing
tonianS, representing great number o
good citizens, suggested this bill to me
The proposed legislation would ALLOW
privateS in both departments a maxi
mum annual salary OF $4,000. The pres
ent maximum is $2,l00. do not think
$2,4O0 is too much to pay man who's
hive years OF conscientious service nav
proved his ability to defend the live
and property Of the people.
The City OF New York last month
voted to give its policemen q minimum
of $4,000 year. That Is for privates
II is more than our own police and tlr
I captains get.
washington has no cause to be prout
of the fact that she stands SiXty-fiftl
i'll list of American cities, in the mat
ter Of police and fire pay. Ten year
ago this city stood fourth on the list
We have not kept pace with the times
II is time we did so.
81 believe the great majority of Oh
policemen and firemen are gallant
courageous and honorable men. 1 be
lieve that, under proper direction, GU
Police Department can be made
model for the country. But We mus
pay the men fairly.
Deadly Weapons Measure.
Zone other legislative measure whicl
seems to me really vital to the enforce
ment OF law in the District is bill I.
regulate rigidly the sale OF deadly weap
ons. l should like to see such bill EN-
acted at this session. The authorize
should make it exceedingly difficult 70
criminals to obtain instruments for tn
commission Of crimes of violence.
/ Next to adequate law enforcement,
think the most important subject 0
local legislation pertains to our publ
, schools. We have made splendid prog
ress with out educational system. Blu
in this field, also, much remains to b
! done.
mo true Washingtonian can be prou'
: of the 70 portable school building
: | which are still in operation. TheS
dangerous, unhealthy structures woul