The Indianapolis times., 1929-09-17
Crime and Politics


Il
When the crime commission, named by
Governor Leslie to examine the conditions
in this state, begins its functions it should
not overlook the situation in Lake county as
it is being revealed by the activities Of the
federal grand jury in the northern part Of
the state.
It is more than probable that micro
scopic view of Lake county would give the
answer, not only in the state, but in the ma
ton, to the problem of crime and, more i'm
portant, the problem of good government and
the preservation of self government.
The probe in Lake county began with
charges that there had been great frauds at
the polls The returns from that county
have always been suspicious.
It will be remembered that in 1926 when
the state revoted generally against Senator
James Watson, the Lake county vote was
not reported until it was known that the
other sections showed a Watson necessity for
several thousand votes. Lake county, trifle
late, finally settled the question of the Wat
son election by giving him the necessary
majorities.
In the 1923 election the number of
voters in Lake county was so large as to ad-
NIT Of no other explanation than that there
had been repeating OF fraudulent ballots cast,
or false returns made.
The vote was out of line with every other
measurement of population 1t was out OF line
with even Chamber of Commerce claims OF
growth. 1t was out of line with the school
census. 1t was out of line with the number
of utility patrons. It was out of line with en-
ployment records.
The Lake county politicians smiled COM
placently. They had charge Of the machin-
erv of government. There seemed to be no
official curiosity concerning the unusual vote.
The federal probe of ballot conditions
revealed other things and now the naked
ness of the Lake county political conditions
is being slowly revealed. Thus far the public
knows that there had been more than blind
ness concerning the various forms of profta-
BILE vice and crime
The prohibition law the chief political
asset of those for whom the votes were al
ways counted, seemed to have been unknown
in that district.
And with the disregard for that law so
universal as to suggest that the vioators
were protected, came disregard for all other
laws. There had been protection of COM
mercialized vice. The gunman walked the
streets unafraid. The activities of officials
charged with detection of crime and pun
ishment of criminals, apparently, had been
directed to the protection of crime and the
safeguarding of vioators.
81 Crime, such as exists in the Calumet, can
only thrive when there is a partnership with
politics. Widespread violations of any law
can only continue where the government
comes under the control of those who are
IN league, either financially or politically,
with the violators.
The men who debauch elections demand
some return for their work. They do not
attempt to steal elections unless they feel
assured that they will not only be protected
against jails, but get what they want. And
generally they want protection against in
reference with some form of crime.
The Lake county machine is the key
stone of the state political arch. The men
who profit from it control the state. The
agents of the machine control the making
of laws.
Unquestonably the state commission, if
alert, will discover that the conditions in
Lake county are duplicated to some degree,
in many other sections of the state. The
difference is in degree, not in kind.
Wherever law is disregarded, there is
certain to be-. ballot frauds.
After the commission gets through with
Lake county it might take look at Indi-
annapolis. There are points of similarity.
Face-Saving and War
Again China seems to have prevented settlement