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“Police Should Be Good Samaritans’—Chief FoxEvery policeman should be a good Samaritan, and he should make the golden rule his rule of conduct toward all men with whom his duty throws him In contact—City Marshal Richard H. l'ox of Lawrence.When the Mayor of a flourishing New England manufacturing city selects as chief of police a man who for 18 years has been physical director of the Young Mens Christian Association, It Is safe for the bystander to opine that there will he a change In the manner of the officer In blue and brass.And here are some of the ways that change has just manifested itself In Lawrence, Muss., where the experiment la being tried:Instead of telling the loiterer to Move on. the policeman says. Pardon me, but I must tell you that you are obstructing the passersby; I Know you will oblige mo by moving on.Instead of grabbing a drunk and disorderly prisoner roughly and throwing him into the hurry-up wagon, the policeman reasons with him and uses moral suasion In this wise, It Is for your own good: and, since you are unable to tell me where you live. I cannot send you homo. The station house Is the best place for you, because you will be safely cared for there.Tills, at least. Is what all the members of the force In Lawrence are doing 11‘ they obey the orders and suggestions or City Marshal Charles H. Fox. the only professional Y. M. C. A. director who has attained to the office of chief of police In New England, or In the entire country, as far as he knows.What Marshal Fox Is doing he sums up frankly by saying that the best rule for a policeman Is the golden rule; and, again, by the axiom. There's no reason why a policeman should not ho a man—a full man In every sense of the word—morally, mentally, physically and spiritually.”Marshal Fox may well bo called a veteran Y. M. C. A. man, for when the Lawrence branch of the organization decided to establish a gymnasium 19 years ago he was chosen to be Its first physical director, and he remained at the post until he was appointed city marshal. His fitness for the Y. M. C. A. place was the outcome of Ills varied experience In ath-lotles.In discussing his police work. Marshal Fox harks back to the surprise he received when he was offered his present place.KICHAKI) II. FOX.Chief of police, Lawrence.1 had never thought of being a policeman, he says, and 1 was greatly surprised when I received the offer from Mayor White. At first I thought offhand I wouldn’t take it. But then it occurred to me that a police chief has a great chance t«» do good. He meets the unfortunate and the weak, and he may help them when they most need help and comfort. The more I considered this phase of It. the more I felt I ought to accept.“What have my orders been to my men? Well, my first and only real order was that the men must stop drinking. 1 had heard there were some oases where policemen drank, and I decided there must be an end of tills. The policeman ought to be an example of good habits and good manners to others. Ho should bo above all things a Christian gentleman. and therefore he should bo above suspicion of Indulging In liquor. Since then there lias been only one case of a policeman charged with drinking. I do not drink or use tobacco in any form myself, but I can sympathize with the man who does drink. Still, the policeman owes :i duty to the public that I must help him fulfil.”. _______ = 1 — g?
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