Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
Senator Copeland Protests
Appealing D. C. Troubles
to Legislators.
PUBLIC PRINTER SENDS
SIMMONS AFFIDAVITS
Pratt Declares Police Chiefly In
terested in Enforcement of
Law, Not Prosecutions.

Figures showing that the police have
raided 73o gambling, liquor and dis
orderly establishments between Sep
TENDER Is and February 1 were re-
vealed last night by Maj. Henry G.
Pratt, superintendent of police, while
Public Printer George H. Carter was
directing his guns on Police Court
methods in his crusade against gam
bling and bootlegging in the vicinity of
the Government Printing once.
Carter remained under special po-
lice protection assigned to him as the
result of series of threats received by
him and the police since he launched
his attack.
Meanwhile, Senator Copeland of
New York, a member of the Senate
District committee, to which Carter
has forwarded the correspondence, ex-
changed with Maj. Pratt, the District
Commissioners and other persons, con-
corning charges that the police have
failed in their duty, declared there is
too great tendency to turn to Congress
with disputes arising over conditions
in the District"
He said that in his opinion there are
other steps that should be taken before
the legislators are asked to intervene.
Senator Robson, chairman of the sub
committee, previously had declared
that "the subcommittee cannot be used
as q grand jury The police survey
Of raids was regarded in the depart
ment as an answer to Carter.
illustrates Police Activity.
Ofhcials, however, said it was not
prepared for this purpose, but to illus
trate to any one interested just how
onfiuo fho VNnlfrn Iou d.
efforts to stamp out gambling and
bootlegging.
A number Of the 100 places raided
are listed more than once in the report.
One, it showed, has been raided nine
times.
Addresses of the raided establish
ments, the lot and square number, the
names of the persons arrested, and the
names OF the owners of the property
are given in the report. The charges
against those arrested also are noted.
No attempt has been made by the de-
partment to show the disposition of the
cases on the ground that 1t is concerned
primarily with enforcement of the laws
and not the prosecution of the violators
Neither are comparisons made but DO
lice officialS pointed out that the $50
raids, from September Is to February /,
A1A NNSVOA WIG OCboA Al ally pACNIOuS
corresponding period. In fact, one off,
cial said he was amazed" at the reve-
lations Of the report.
Police oflcialS also pointed out that
the 730 places raided did not include
those where charges of permitting gam
ing were preferred. The places listed
in the report, however, are alleged to
have been full-fledged gambling houses,
the charge of setting up gaming table
having been preferred against those ar
rested in the raids. This is a felony
under the District Code.
Continuing his remarks. Senator
Copeland said it was his view that If
the public printer or anyone else had
or other local agencies, they should go
first to the Commissioners as the heads
Of the local government.
Should Consult President.
The New York Senator said if that
step should not prove sufficient. he was
of the opinion that the aid of the Presi-
dent should be sought before Congress
is asked to take a hand. He said he
felt that investigations of matters that
should be handled locally had the effect
OF undermining official responsibility.
Senator Robson expects to read over
within the next day or two the lengthy
file of correspondence submitted by
Carter. No time has been fixed for a
meeting of the subcommittee. Senator
did not receive the data until
Friday evening, following a meeting of
the District committee.
Included among the papers forward
ed to the committee by Carter are four
aftldavitS made by colored employees of
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