Evening star., 1936-01-12

on the loca! Board of Commissioners
must be held by q civilian, 1t was
necessary for him to await retirement
from the Army before the appoint-
ment could become effective.
The selection of a high-ranking
Army ofiicer to be one Of the two ci-
villain Commissioners provided for by
the District law established a prece-
dent and there were widely voiced OBJ
jections from local civic organizations
on the ground that such an appoint
ment was contrary to the spirit, Il not
the letter, of the District organic law.
It was clear, however. that there was
no organized opposition to Gen.
Crosby personally and, in view Of the
generals reputation as a disciplinarian.
President Hoover disregarded the OBJ
jections and sent the appointment TO
the Senate.
The President made it clear that
Gen. Crosby had not sought the post.
He soon won friends throughout
Washington among the groups that
had questioned the naming Of any
Army officer as a civilian Commis-
Sioner.
Crises In Police Affairs.
He at once plunged into the task Of
building up the Police Department,
but there we're crucial periods in po-
lice affairs throughout his three years
Of service.
Shortly after he took Office, there
came the murder Of Mary Baker on q
lonely road near Arlington Cemetery
one of the most baffling unsolved
crimes in police annals here-and a
continuation Of the Investigations Of
the Police Department. AS a climax,
the coming of the bonus army and its
attendant tension, eliminating in the
riots which shocked the Nation,
placed a great weight Of responsibility
and worry on Gen. Crosby.
It was at the instance Of Crosby
that Brig. Gen. Pelham d. Glassford
was brought here SIS chief Of police,
but he resigned after colorful and
stormy career and was succeeded by
the present superintendent. Maj. Err
nest w. Brown.
With police affairs In order and the
coming of the Roosevelt administra-
ton, Gen. Crosby sought a long-de-
ferred rest and rendered his resigna-
ton on April 9, 1888, about six weeks
before the end of his term. President
Roosevelt asked him to continue in
Office until a new Commissioner was
named and it was Fall before he finally
was free.
Police Reorganized.
To him the Police Department owes
its reorganization on a semi-military
basis, with the creation OF inspection
districts and consolidation Of several
Of the old precincts. A number of the
| reforms he effected are expected to
continue permanently. He held that
courtesy, humanism and discretion
are three fundamental ingredients of
a good policeman and he insisted that
these qualities be stressed and de-
veloped.
Early in his career as Police Com
missioner he made it plain that he
| would not tolerate the bully type
Of policeman.
There Is nothing mechanical about
the work of policeman" Gen. Cros-
by once said. 1T is real humanized
job Discretion must play an impor-
tant part in the life of police
man"
He advocated a stringent vagrancy
law as a crime preventive, believing
that such a law would place in the
hands of the police and the courts a
potent weapon for use against GRIM
| inals.
A surprise party was given for him
in the board room of the District
Building when he retired. The Police
Department gave him handsome six
piece silver service and the Fire De-
partment gave him wrist watch.
There were many tributes to his work
| and personality.