Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-11
GIBSON DEMANDS I
END OF SCANDALS
Warns Commissioner Con-
gresS Will Act Unless Police
Force Is Cleaned Up.

The District oficials must clean I'D
the scandals IN the Police Department
by thorough reorganization or Con-
gress will do the job, Representative
Ernest w. Gibson of Vermont, chair
man OF the special House committee
which has been investigating the mu-
nicipal administration. told Commits
sioner Crosby yesterday in the course of
a conference
Representative Gibson emphasized
that the people of Washington, the
people Of the country. the Presiden.
and Congress are tired of repeated
scandals in the Police Department, one
tumbling on the heels Of another. and
that the cleanup must be prompt and
thorough He pointed out that his
special committee had recommended
thorough reorganization OF the Police
Department more than two years ago.
Congress is ready to give the Distrlc-
officials all the authority they need, but
will demand action, the House leader
warned Gen. Crosby.
Representative Gibson's call at the
Commissioners headquarters followed a
conference with the President at the
White House
mo Wooden Nutmegs."
"I hope they will not compel Con-
CESS to act" Representative Gibson
said, but they must act quickly. I
told Gen Crosby that if they find they
need more legislative authority, firmer
administrative authority. all they have
to do Is to ask Congress for it, and
Congress will give them all the su-
thority necessary to deal with the pres
ent situation and to make the Wash
ington police force a model for the
entire country"
Representative Gibson expressed the
hope that the District officials will
not take any wooden nutmegs so
gilded that they will appear to be
golden nuggets"
There must be a thorough reorgani-
zation of the police force he con-
scandal after another The people Of
the District are disguised The people
of the country are disguised. Congress
is disguised and the President is dis
gusted. Now is the time to thoroughly
clean 1t up"
Cites Committee Report.
Representative Gibson directed spe-
cial attention to the report of the Glib
son special committee last February
advising the District officials to re-
organize the Police Department on 2
scientific and up-to-date basis.
The report follows, in part:
An OTueIJy ulNBSJlSdLlOH vi tIlt
police force has been undertaken In
response to many criticisms brought to
our attention. This has been pro-
ceeding for some time. The inquiry
has been hampered by publicity and
in other ways. Situations have arisen
at critical times which have served To
defeat our efforts. We cannot say that
these were premeditated, but they GER
tainly constitute a series of remarkable
coincidents, TO say the least.
In our opinion, the rank and flle
of the membership of the police force
are honest and faithful They are
dealing with a serious situation; mod
ern crime is an organized business.
Hundreds of millions of dollars are
taken away from the American people
annually. That crime is prevalent in
the District is attested by the fact that
during the last fiscal year nearly
100000 arrests were made IN the DIS
trict of Columbia.
BootIegging and Gambling.
THE undisputed testimony before the
subcommittee is that 5000 bootleggers
are plying their trade daily in the Capt.
tai City Of the Nation. Gambling places
have been run openly. The subcom-
mittee caused a map to be made show
ing the exact location of scores OF
gambling joints and presented the
major and chief OF police with re-
quest that these places be closed.
more recent survey convinces us that
the number of these places has not
been materially decreased. Many have
moved, but usually not out of the pre-
cinct where they were formerly doing
business.
1T is impossible to entirely stop
gambling or the Illicit trade in intoxl-
eating liquors in a city of the size Of
Washington. but We are concerned that
the police force, guarding the lives and
property Of the people Of the Federal
city, are honest and incorruptible. We
are concerned that gambling be kept
out of the departments and bureaus OF
the Government, where in the past 1t
has materially affected the efficiency
and morale of Government employees.
1T is the opinion OF the subcommit-
tee that the entire Police Department
should be reorganized on a scientific. up
to-date basis 1t must necessarily be
reorganized to cope with the rising tide
of crime. Any plan for such a reor-
ganization requires study of the best
systems. employed throughout the world
We have no right to criticize the sys-
tenn now in force here with nothing to
offer in its place. It is the purpose Of
the subcommittee, following its policy
throughout this survey, to offer bill
carrying into effect our specific rec
concentrations"