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Show !V? THE CITIZEN 4 ignorant of conditions in a city which he is expected to know so be said without the fear of successful contradicmuch about tion that never before has the city been so dominated by gamblers, vice kings and bootleggers. Every month vast sums are paid for protection. How much of that money did Mr. Bock get? How much are others getting? No special audit will furnish the answers to those questions, but a grand jury might. The entire Democratic It-ca- . n machine isunder suspicion and those who have been conspicuous with Bock in control of that machine arc suspected of living in glass houses. Part of the plan of the machine managers was to obtain votes in the fall election by permitting a wide-ope- n town. The underworld was to be allowed every privilege, every license in exchange for votes. The downfall of Bock and the disclosures which are sure to follow in spite of the efforts to cover up will interfere with that plan. Nevertheless, the politicians of the vice ring have not abandoned hope. They are striving to limit the revelations of theft and graft to Bock and are eager to do what they can to protect him if he will but remain silent. Should he fail to receive the immunity they are anxious to obtain for him, should he be speeded toward prison, he may tell all he knows. If he does the city and county machine will be a wreck. So far Bock has implicated only himself and there is no evidence yet produced that he had any confederates in the crimes he committed while auditor. During the last campaign he had aides who helped him disburse the thousands of dollars which were spent to elect him mayor and which he failed to list in his sworn expense account. And since he has been mayor others, as well as himself, have profited by the protection afforded the vice ring. If, however, the public prosecutors, if the public officials who are sworn to enforce the law are as lex in ferreting out bribery and graft as they have been lax in bringing Bock' to justice the vice ring will continue its carnival of plunder. Bock has maintained a surprising coolness of demeanor since the first hysterical moments of confession. Undoubtedly he feels that those whom he protected must now protect him. The officials who kept secret his crimes and went about the city with him to help him raise money to make good a part of his defalcations, have placed themselves in an unpleasant light, to say the least. Not that they are involved in his crimes, but their own folly has made them sharers; with Bock in public execration. The public is asking, why have they been so anxious to protect a $10,000 or $15,000 thief when they would drag to the police station a tramp who confessed the stealing of a watch? After the arrest of Bock the public was confronted with an astonishing spectacle. Although he had confessed, no attempt was made to have him arrested. City Attorney Folland, if we are rightly informed, had helped the defaulter obtain the cash necessary to make good the shortages with interest and yet took no steps to place the thief behind the bars. The city attorney also accepted interest on the shortage without any warrant of law; in fact, in violation of law, for he had not the slightest authority to act as the citys agent in accepting interest on money obtained by theft. Presumably he has discovered his error by this time and will apply the interest money on any additional shortages that may be disclosed. For days the city arid county attorneys neglected to begin the prosecution of the confessed forger and thief. Although they were bound by oath to enforce the law they seemed to argue that someone other than themselves must file an information. Two citizens offered to file complaints but were told that they did not have the proper information and could allege only such information as they had obtained by hearsay or from the newspapers. Here was a case in which the thief had confessed and paid some of the money back. A public official conscientiously resolved to do his duty and protect the publics interest in conformity with his oath would have taken the initiative himself in filing the complaint or seeing that it was filed immediately. While the city officials and others concerned were treating the malefactor with tender consideration and even uttering inane tributes to his cleverness and efficiency, no action was being taken to him to justice. On the contrary, "while the sympathetic offi8' salaamed Mr. Bock thoughtfully suggested that he be put u m bond. His friends and admirers were struck by his magnani and agreed that his idea was worthy of the highest considera Therefore, some of them scurried forth to obtain a bondsman in due time the bond was filed. How could a bond be filed " lep-whe- there was no charge ? How could Bock file a bond for apj ance in a case that did not exist? Who accepted the bond art what right? Legally, such a bond had no effect and if Bock I departed once more for Berlin no one would have been liable. p The public will now watch with interest and a somewhat cvl . suspicion the next move in the municipal drama. r DANCING WITH THE BEAR a The great black bear, conqueror of Poland, grins as it invites' allies to approach and join in a peace dance. c Faithless and braggart, bent on vanquishing the world, the sheviki will look upon a peace treaty as less than a scrap of pao But perforce the allies must seem to trust them in an eft to save Poland and Europe, from the grip of the monster. ic Bolshevism, says General Eric Ludendorff, master militi of Germany, is a monster that must advance to exist. n Ludendorff understands the monster, for he and his liege the German emperor, once held to a doctrine which the soviet govii ment of Russia has made its own. They maintained that mf was right and that it was entirely fitting in the progress of lmmaff that the weak should go to the wall. Little did Ludendorff or emperor think in those days that European imperialism would trembling before the conquering chariots of barbaric Bolshevism! And now Ludendorff is afraid and he, forsooth, must needs Europe of its peril. He can even find it in his heart to have a fe feeling for his enemies of yesterday in his fear lest Bolshevism out its program to conquer the world. For the moment Bolshevism presents a fair and alluring the world. It has accepted the offer to make peace with Pok'. We hear the claquers for Bolshevism in our own land applaud seeming humanity of the soviet czars, Lenine and Trotzky. J let the world beware of Bolsheviks bearing gifts. Imperial, plundering Europe is invited to let the great black ti hug it. And when that soft embrace has ended Europe is apt ter -- t 1 . ( i fac-i- i twisted quite out of shape. i 4 Even with so bad a cause as Bolshevism to exploit Lenine j Trotzky might have won credit with all the world had they men of attractive characters, but neither has , commended liinvi by any acts that mankind is wont to admire. On the contrary, t have approved themselves cruel, ruthless, cynical, brutal and disk: est. Trotzky attested himself a bold, if not accomplished, liar v'j he accused our ambassador of conspiring to send supplies toi Russian The pretext was that Ambassa Francis was aiding the Red Cross to send some of its ambulance: stricken Rumania. But there is nothing fair or decent about Russian minister of war. His pictures reveal him as an cm hoc sneer. And Lenine looks as if he might be a public executioner, ous only when a head falls and blood flows upon the block. The world will be relieved and happy if it turns out that t men who seem to be little more than monsters are sincere v t! desires for a just peace, but it is more than probable that tiny' By try to fix upon Europe a peace like that of peace Lenine and Trotzky betrayed their nation to Germany made themselves the enemies of the allies. Their only excise and is that they deemed the treaty a scrap of paper. And so they regard all treaties. If they sign a compact with the splits t will respect it only so long as it conduces to the fulfillment o' tl purposes. The allies must not lose sight of the fundamental principle; Bolshevism. These call for the overthrow of all existing ments. If peace is signed it will be only an armistice until such t 11 counter-revolutionis- ts. Brcst-Litovs- 1 k. i i g-- |