Evening star., 1936-02-09
.CAL|FORN|ACHEERS
|TSBORDERPATR0L
Migrants, Turned Back, Are
Kept From Increasing
Tax Burden.

LOS ANGELES, February 3
(N.AN.A0.-Efforts Of the Los An
geles Police Departments border
patrol to stem the tide of rowing indi-
gents into California from frigid
climes is meeting success, in the opin-
ion of Chief of Jolice James E. Davis.
Augmenting State and county police
forces at principal points of entry to
the State, the 1856 volunteer patrolmen
from Los Angeles report numerous
arrests.
Migrants without visible means Of
support and hundreds Of hoboes evad-
ing railroad fare are being taken from
trains, trucks and automobiles. They
are given their choice of turning back
or serving short Jail terms for misde-
meanors.
Meanwhile, throughout large Los
Angeles County, peace officers are
rounding up vagrants and floaters,
charging them with misdemeanors
and throwing them in jails.
All Member Volunteers.
Driven almost to desperation by the
increasing influx Of ne'er-do-wells
from distant States, police were in
duced by relief authorities, taxpayers
and civic bodies to take the unpreced-
ented action of organizing the border
patrol. Every member volunteered
for the extraordinary duty. Many OF
the officers had been relieved Of duty
guarding school children at traffic
crossings. They were supplanted by
watchmen chosen from relief rolls.
Finding it almost impossible to rid
the community of indigents once they
were In, authorities determined upon
the policy of halting them at the
borders. In support of the blockade
Chief Davis said 48 per cent of al
arrested in the last four weeks had
police records, more than half Of them
criminal ones.
It is the criminal element that the
police is attempting to eliminate from
tourist hordes coming to California
Good citizens, with even nomina
chances of supporting themselves with
in the State, are welcomed. They arr
shown every courtesy by the border
patrols and, If in automobiles. ART
supplied with distinguishing windshield
stickers designating them guests o.
the State.
Tax Burden Increased.
"The police department knows that
there must be free ingress and egres.
over State boundaries and our mer
are so instructed" said Chief Davis
1--WE are only enforcing State law'
which make it a misdemeanor fol
any one to ride railway cars withir
the State without paying fare anc
which prohibit any one from wander.
ing about the State without visible
means Of support"
Relief and charity rolls in 10.
Angeles County have long been over.
burdened because of the influx o.
transients. The tax burden had grown
alarmingly, mostly because of th'
necessity Of staving of starvation fo
thousands who flock here on the sup
position that this is a soft spot" Il
exist.
Vast public works-the building O
highways, fiood-control projects. re
forestation. erosion control, bridges
dams, aqueducts and public structure
have been predominant factor il
enticing thousands of indigents from
the East and Middle West. They hop,
for employment, perhaps, not realiz
ing that such works are insufficient t,
provide work for the States own arm,
of unemployed.
But the vast ma jority of those float
ing to California as hoboes and hitch
mixers are not interested in work, ON
cialS say.
tCopyright. 1895, by the North America
Newspaper Alliance. Inc. and the Ne,