Evening star., 1932-01-08
Police Chief Draws
Satire With Exploit

To the Editor of The Star.
1t was with considerable qualification
that I read, on the first page Of The
Stars $50 Final for Tuesday, January
S, an article describing Brig. Gen. Pei
ham D. Glassford's important step in
what promises to be a vigorous cam
paign against 1awlessness in Washing
ton. The new chief of police cannot
be too highly commended for his good
beginning In office, when he succeeded
in getting a 30-day sentence for PAN
handler who accosted him in Judiciary
Square. Several features of Gen. Glass
fords good beginning merit the atten-
ton Of citizens whose safety has re-
Gently been intrusted to his care.
First: The police chief made his
good beginning not in q conventional
and spectacular raid on speakeasy or
gambling house, nor in an equally spec
tacular but quite unconventional cap
ture of one of WaShington'S elusive
murderers, but by quietly arresting and
carrying off to the first precinct single
handed, except for the assistance of a
patrol wagon and its crew, q danger
Gus panhandler who approached him
and asked for dime for a bite to eat.
Second: When the general made the
unusual arrest, he did not have the pro-
lection OF uniform, being dressed un'-
ostentatiously in civilian clothes, and
appearing to the unWary no different
from the average passerby. But how
different he really was from the average
passerby! How superior the decision of
his actions when he heard the aims
seekers forthwith request. Without any
spineless doubt that perhaps the fellow
was hungry, without any weakly senti-
mental thought of the approaching
Twelfth Night, the general said in the
unmistakable accents OF authority
Come along with me-"
Third: The general was taking per-
sonal risk when he made the arrest, for
his prisoner was armed with deadly
weapons razor and cake Of soap.
When these weapons were discovered at
the precinct, they caused ponderous dis
cussion. The razor, 1t was agreed, could
have been used only for the intimida-
tion of those who did not readily hand
over dimes; but regarding the soap
there there were two schools OF thought,
the one maintaining that 1t was used
by the prisoner in the side line of safe
blowing, the other arguing with equal
reasonableness that it was used in q
lathery state to blind his victims eyes.
lie pIlSOAiEls 4io"CFCIb aAa INV AsAnhC hiA
attempt to use either weapon on his
captor, probably perceiving that he was
up against most unusual type of man.
Fourth: The general, once deter
mined upon a mode of action, once
launched into combat, no matter how
one-sided and difficult, does not give in
until he has accomplished his purpose.
Doggedly he turned his prisoner in at
the station house, patiently he bided his
time until the prisoners case came be-
fore Judge Schuldt the next day, un-
falteringly he gave his testimony: The
man had said How about dime for a
bite to eat, buddy?" and the general
had led him firmly to a convenient
patrol box and called the wagon.
Fifth: The conduct of our new chief
of police was most becoming through
out the little comedy. He finished his
testimony before Judge Schuldt, and
stood quietly by while the prisoner, now
safely razor and soap-less, attempted
to excuse himself by saying that hunger
drove him to beg, and was given his
choice Of $25 fine or 80 days in jail.
The man insisted that he had no money
and chose the Jail term.
CATHERINE e. HAYES.