Evening star., 1949-09-26
Letters to The Star
Another Writer Tells His Experience
With Park Police on Regatta Day


With Park Police on Regatta Day
To the Editor of The STAR
B. H. Tabb's letter concerning the be-
havior Of the park police at the Presidents
Cup Regatta aroused me to the point OF
voicing my experience on the same Sunday,
September 18.
I guess we had little better luck than
Mr.. Tabb since we were able to make our
way to the waterfront without too much
difficulty, although I had to park on the
east side of the golf course and walk over
to the water. After waiting around until
$3.50 we decided along with thousands of
others at that point to go home and pro-
ceeded with our little dog "a well behaved
Springer spaniel, who had been tugging
nervously at his leash for more than three
hours) across the park back to the car. I
had knelt down to adjust the dogs mar
tingale which was too tight over his chest
when he momentarily slipped his leash.
Innocently let him run for about 100 feet
and then called him back to me and re-
secured his leash. I did not want him to
get lost in the crowd and I did not know
exactly how he would get along with, as
Mr.. Tabb aptly described him. the flying
horseman who was galloping like mad in
our direction over the golf course, greens,
fairways and all from distance of approx
imately 100 yards I quickly learned that
this rider of the purple sage was making
straight for my wife, my dog and me- He
lost no time in accosting us even before
dismounting with what in my opinion was
colossal and contemplate arrogance, so
much so that it not only aroused my indig-
nation but incensed my wife to an anger
which had never seen her display and I
have known her more than 20 years. The
upshot of it was I was given a ticket
m Iiy,lno c1,nN -,
although my dog was in fact on his leash
when this officer approached us.
I was completely unaware that had
committed crime or that our little dog
had done any harm, but what concerns us
most Is the fact that we received not the
slightest Semblance of courteous treatment
from the policeman to say nothing of CO.
operative or constructive information AS
a matter of personal interest I made it
point to determine the regulations govern
ing the National Parks. Dog lovers might
be interested in some of the things found,
since it took me three days to discover
Where the regulations were published.
They are tucked away in the Federal Reg
lister OF December 20, 1948 and suggest
That those making frequent use of the parks
acqualnt themselves with these regulations.
Ihey may be surprised with what they will
find therein.
IL is there provided that any person vio-
lating any of the provisions. except traffic
regulations, may be punished by a fine of
not more than $500 or Imprisonment not
exceeding six months or both Among other
things, the regulations provide that no dog
or cat. unless Gagged or on leash, not more
than six feet long and entirely under con-
troll, shall be taken into or exercised in
park areas. Significantly. apropos of my
experience related above, two paragraphs
below the regulations re dogs is this pro-
vision: Horses shall not be allowed to move
over lawn areas other than those especially
designated for horse exercise" I leave il
to your imagination to decide which did
the greater damage to the golf course-the
hoofs of the flying horsemen" or the soft
unshod paws of my little dog!
A. r. SMITH.