Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-27
WOOD THREATENS
PAY OF POLICEMEN
There Will Be No Salaries for
Highwaymen on Force,
He Declares.

Police brutality in the National
Capital must stop" Representative VIII
r. Wood, chairman of the House APP
preparations Committee. declared today.
1T is beyond all the bounds Of reason
to expect US to continue appropriating
money for the salaries of policemen
who resort to such tactics" he con-
tinued, promising that the charges
about to be Investigated by the DEPART
ment OF Justice also will be inquired
into closely by his committee when con-
sidering appropriations for the Police
Department for the next fiscal year
IF conditions are half as bad as they
seem to be, something very drastic must
be done to those who are guilty" the
appropriations chief said. Il hope the
Department Of Justice win make thor
ough investigation, and If Washington
policemen are found doing what they
are accused Of, they must be summary
punished, not merely dismissed from
the force.
Calls This Place to Begin.
Here we are in the Capital, supposed
to set an example for the rest of the
country, and il we in Congress. holding
the purse strings. making the laws and
having exclusive jurisdiction and trusted
with special responsibility for the seat
OF Government, wink at such brutal
hsgh-handed. inhuman third-degree
methods IN the police force. what re-
spect can there be for the laws we
make?
with q crime wave sweeping the
country, we must be especially careful
to keep thugs and blackjack artists and
hiiackers and racketers out Of our
police force. Right here In the Capital
is the place we must begin, and the time
Is right now.
IF 1t is shown to BE- true, as charged
against these detectives and policemen,
there will be no salaries for such high
waymen in the next appropriation bill"
Senator Clarence G. Dill of Wash
ington, with flrst-hand experience on
police third-degree methods, declared
such brutal methods in police work
are indefensible." He also said ne hoped
IL any man on the police force in the
Capital Is found guilty of using such
methods. after fair investigation, that
he be not only fired from the force, but
be prosecuted under any law that may
be found to apply covering his assaults
on prisoners or suspects.
Fought Police Brutality.
Senator Dill formerly was in the Of
fee Of the prosecuting attorney IN Seat
tie, and his party came into power
largely on the fight they made against
third-degree methods.
Such methods and practices in po-
lice work cannot be justified on any
grounds" said Senator Dill "Of.
course. know nothing of the facts in
the present case, but the charges
against the policemen should be thor
oughly examined by an impartial
triburDll. Anything that can be done to
treatment Of prisoners should be done
everywhere, and especially in the Capt.
tai, as an example for the rest Of the
country"
Following the report of the Wicker
sham Commission, II Is significant that
point should be given TO their findings
by this case in the seat Of Government.
With the spotlight thus thrown on the
charges against detectives and police
men of the Metropolitan Police Force OF
the District OF Columbia, the Federal
Government should promptly and thor
oughly Sift these charges, and If guilt
is shown. 1t should be sunmarily
punished in a way that will deter
occurrences.
Should Protect Citizens.
Men who are appointed to enforce
the law ought to be the first ones TO
zealously protect the rights Of the In
dividual against assault until guilt Is
proven. / am Of the opinion that leg
islation should be passed providing for
prosecution and proper punishment OF
those induiging in the brutality OF
police third-degree methods"
Representative Frank w. Bowman
Republican, Of West Virginia, member
Of the House District Committee, who
has taken a special interest in all mat
! tiers affecting the Police Department
and the welfare Of the policemen, and
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