Evening star., 1931-06-20

thieves carried out a smash
and-grab raid on a neighboring shop
in the heart Of London. This will not
do. For months past the London pub
lie has put up patiently with large
scale and audaciouS thefts Of motor
cars, and with equally audacious day.
light raids on London shops. The po-
lice have been singularly unsuccessful
in either preventing these crimes or in
bringing the criminals to book.
1t Is with certain degree Of cyni-
cism. therefore. that the average Lon
doner reads Of the new methods and
latest devices employed by the mobile"
police force Mobility is a relative term:
and manifestly the mobility of Scotland
Yard experts compares untavorably
with that Of the thieves they so rarely
catch. But the armed bandit Is new
and DANGEROUS development which can
not be dismissed with the familiar
shrug of the shoulders at the ineffec-
tiveness Of police detection.
Whatever else we may import from
America we have no intention of i'm
porting the methods and characteristics
of the Chicago gunman. The way to
encourage the gun-uSing habit among
our own criminal classes Is to let all
the early pioneers go scot-free, and so
to give all ambitious gangSters the I'M
preston that they can terrortZe LONDON
with iulpunity. London. however, Will
look with sternness to Scotland Yard TO
devise adequate means Of protection
and will not be disposed to accept
tamelyA the usual ofncial excuses 1or
failure.
Has Scotland Yard any intelligent
ideas on the. subject? Is 1t intelligently
concerned about the appearance of gun
men in Kingsway? Does 1t regard that
successful experiment as a possible pol. =.
tent? We should frankly be surprised
m receive an Affirmative answer. SCOT
land Yard needs shaking up; and 1t cam
not be shaken up until the present ao-
ministrative position is regulartSed ana
a new and active chief appointed who
is capable, OF concentrating all MS
faculties on the creation OF emclent ana
up-to-date methods for dealing with
efncient and up-to-date crime.
Germany Pays <
War Debts With Exports.
Neues wiener Taeblatt. vienna.-In
1880. German exports excesded German
imports for the first time since tne
war, showing a healthy balance In tne
country's international trade amounting
to almost 1881 800 900. 'Thls margin ol
WN2t NAV OC COIlSAuCAC0 0V ASe@So
profit represents practically the full
amount due the creditor nations unoer
the Young plan for the year, while IN
previous years money had to De oor-
rowed from other nations to make pay
Ynents under the pact. Imports fell on
some degree, it Is true, because OF no
re0,Iirennent for the raw materials
usually purchased, which may mean less
manufactures for the current year;
However, Germany has learned so well
the lesson of providing everything
necessary for her industry tnat IL y
more likely future production VIII oe
derived. more entirely from her own
great natural resources. At any rate,
the balance sheet of the Reich for 1880
0ives further evidence of the indomi-
liability Of her people despite every
extraordinary burden and disadvantage
laid upon them.
2oo.o0e Articles Lost
on Paris Trans Last Year.
lie Matin, Paris.-The facility with
which Parisians lose their portable pos
sessions is almost incredible. Lost ar
ticles reported to- the transportation
companies last year totaled nearly 200,-
900 pieces, and included everything
from parasols to sparrakeetS, with such
variations In the list Of parted company
as pamphlets, perambulators, pistols and
portmAnteaux. Nearly half OF these
variegated treasures are restored TO then
forgetfiil owners, while the remainder
are auctioned of to the public at stated
intervals, and generally after the md
ings have been At bureaus Of the diner-
ent enterprises or concessions for a rea.
sonahle length Of time. The money