SLAUGHTER'S SABBATH

On Monday morning the Police of New York City issued the statement that the city had one of the most peaceful twenty-four hours in its history. No suicides or automobiles fatalities, nor any injuries by knife or gun were reported from Saturday evening until Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately this record was marred when a woman in Brooklyn stopped a stray bullet, the police shamefacedly admit.

Police methods can cope with stray children, but the sources of stray bullets seem still beyond control. The New York police are efficient, as far as any police group can be. Despite such elements of graft that cannot fail to be present, there must be some men who do their jobs honestly and thoroughly. To those men is due the doubtful credit of this record day.

When the police function properly, it is creditable but unexpected. So accustomed has the public become to reports of violent deaths that the ability of the police to prevent these for twenty-four hours has become a subject of journalistic recognition. Before the era of the racket, policemen protected the lives of citizens and thought nothing of it. Now, in return for work well done, the ego of the "force" must be soothed by public exhibition of a record, quite possibly issued before the turn in the tide could bring any bodies back up the river.