The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1928. A SOLDIER SERVES

Southland Times, Issue 20537, 13 July 1928, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1928. A SOLDIER SERVES

Soldiers are out of fashion with some people, and yet in almost every trial the distinguished soldier drawn into civil employment of a difficult nature serves the State efficiently. No so long ago in the United States, the city of Philadelphia which was in the hands of corrupt politicians and scorners of the law, called in General Butler of the Marines to take charge of the city’s police. General Butler scorned secrecy and privacy. He hustled the Philadelphia police into action and set out to enforce the law. His reign made Philadelphia uncomfortable, and as his operations touched privileged persons, the city began to find faults in his methods. At the close of his term he rejoined the Marines and recently saw service in China. Out of that experience in Philadelphia, the soldier emerged with more credit than his enemies would allow. He did a lot towards cleaning up Philadelphia and he showed that an army officer should not be drawn into municipal employment unless the authorities want honest vigour in the discharge of civil duties. There is no direct relationship between Philadelphia and London, none between General Butler and Viscount Byng, but the fact that both are soldiers with long records of brilliant service for the State should commend them for duty at the head of the police force. The police of the Old Country have been lowered in public estimate by recent events, and the introduction of a man of Lord Byng's stamp and status is the best way of restoring confidence promptly. The attack is on the soldier, not on Lord Byng, just as we saw in the case of Western Samoa, the favourite attack was delivered against a stuffed caricature of a soldier, not at General Richardson. Soldiers are entitled to demand a little more considera-

tion at the hands of the politicians, whose contacts with soldiers have not given the military men or the public a very high opinion of their capacity. The change made in London is in the interests of the enforcement of the law, and while Lord Byng will not have to make use of the spectacular methods General Butler employed, it is fairly clear that his presence at the head of the force is to be accepted as an indication of reform. He has accepted the post on the understanding that he will hold it only so long as he thinks he can be of service to the State, and we may look forward confidently to anther example of the advantage of using tried soldiers where vigour, probity and clear impartiality are required. The lesson should not be lost in this country, particularly when the Samoan question is raised.