SONGS OF INNOCENCE

If two excellent examples of naivete were wanted, no better could be found than in the Commissioner and Acting Commissioner of Police of New York. Commissioner Enright, deeply stirred by two outrageous crimes during last week, announced that the only possible remedy for the state of affairs was a more stringent pistol law, and then headed south for a sojourn in Bermuda. Acting Commissioner Leach has now taken up the reins and decided sapiently to settle the bother by running crooks and male-factors out of town.

The suggestion of enacting a stricter pistol law is "full of sound and fury" but in fact signifies worse than nothing.

Commissioner Leach's scheme is just the old one of "passing the buck", poorly concealed. If the scum were skimmed from New York, it would of course fall upon the next gold mine--perhaps Boston or Philadelphia. And since New York is the richest mine of all, it would come slipping back as soon as the temporary vigilance relaxed. The onus cannot be shifted. If the police cannot police the city, then it becomes time for internal reformation; and if the present Commissioners cannot handle the situation, the burghers of New York will doubtless find it expedient to institute a few changes themselves.