Ogden Daily Standard | 1916-01-07 | Page 4 | Newspapers Aid the Police

oo NEWSPAPERS AID THE POLICE. Too many police officiate In different differ-ent parts of the country busy themselves them-selves with trying to prevent publicity of crimes, because, as they claim, the newspaper disclosures aid the criminals crim-inals to escape detection. Solicitor Laniar of tho Postoffice department has a better opinion of publicity as he credits the newspapers with assisting assist-ing in reducing the number of fradu-lent fradu-lent schemes' manipulated through the malls. A coast paper says official acknowledgments acknowl-edgments of this character should serve as a corrective to that shallow criticism which does not probe beneath be-neath the surface when accusing the press of''fpsterIng crime by the publication publi-cation 'of sensational stories. As a matter of fact, the criminal dreads the publicity of a newspaper exposure even more than he fears the police. He may move from town to town working-1 small frauds for years, but the moment his swindle comes under the notice of the press the authorities are put upon his track, and, even If not arrested, he is compelled to abandon aban-don a nefarious device when It is giv en due publicity. "With the co-operation of the newspapers, the federal police po-lice have been able to extend the commercial com-mercial utility of the postal service by stamping out the frauds and giving the public increased confidence in legitimate mall order enterprises. Even If it were time that the sole object ob-ject of the newspapers Is to furnish the news, that object cannot be accomplished ac-complished without at tile same time assisting in the reduction of crime. For one morbid or unhealthy mind incited in-cited to a crime by publicity a score of criminals are brought within easier reach of the police. nn .