Evening star., 1938-02-16
PROPOSAL TO USE
TROOPS AS PATROL
FOR D. c. OPPOSED
Capitol, District Officials
and Police Against
McGehee's Plan.
bad ADVERTISEMENT"
PAL MISANO DECLARES
Hazen and Brown Agree There Is
No Crime Wave and Soldiers
Are Not Needed.

Strong opposition developed today
in three quarters-the Capitol, Dis
trict Building and Police Department
to the proposal of Representative
McGehee. Democrat, of Mississippi
to augment the metropolitan police
force with l.500 troops from Fort
Myer to aid in suppressing the So
called crime wave.
First objection to the plan came
from Chairman Palmisano of the
House District Committee, of which
Representative McGehee is an active
member. He contended Washington
is not in the midst of crime wave
and the use of soldiers is unnecessary.
Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen, in
charge of the Police Department.. and
Police Supt. Ernest w. Brown shared
the same view.
Would Be Bad Advertising.
In the first place, Mr.. Palmisano
said, he would fight any plan to use
soldiers for police work because of
the bad advertising influence" it
would have on the Capital More
over, he said, there is no crime wave
here"
"All you have here is lot of petty
thievery." he declared. THAT is true
in nearly every other city in the
country. It's natural result of the
economic situation.
Conditions are just as bad in
Baltimore, where I live, as they are
in Washington. Members of the
Baltimore police force are working
overtime because of the epidemic of
petty thievery."
Representative Allen, Democrat, of
Delaware, another member of the
District Committee, described Mr..
McGehee's plan as too drastic"
Use of troops in Washington. ex-
cept in case of riots. Commissioner
Hazen said, lis an unusual thing" :"
And if Congress seriously contem-
plates using soldiers to aid the police,
he declared. they should be placed
under command of the police super
intendent.
Unframed for Police Work.
Commissioner Hazen also expressed
the opinion troops would not make
satisfactory policemen. since they are
unframed in that particular work
However, he said he wanted to study
the details of Mr. McGehee's plan
before committing himself further.
Maj. Brown likewise pointed out
the use of soldiers in police work
would not be satisfactory.
Soldiers are trained to be soldiers
and not as policemen said Maj
Brown Il don't believe Mr.. McGehees s
plan would work out.
What the Police Department needs
is more trained policemen, not
soldiers
Maj. Brown also denied that crime
conditions in Washington had reached
an emergency stage, justifying the use
of troops.
He declared if Congress will give
him funds to employ more policemen,
and tighten existing vagrarcy laws.
his department will be equipped to
control existing conditions.
Plans To Draft Bill.
Mr. McGehee announced he planned
to call on Corporation Counsel Elwood
H. Seal to draft bill authorizing the
Secretary of War to detail 1900 Fort
Myer troops to aid the police force.
He said he is confident the presence
of soldiers on the streets of Washing
ton would drive the criminal element
out and break the back" of she crime
wave in few weeks
Troops have only heen used in
Washington in emergencies in the last
20 years. The first time they were
called out to aid the police during the
race riots. Later, former President
Hoover used them to evacuate the
bonus army.