MUST LEARN HOW TO
REMOVE GREASE SPOTS.
POLICEMEN WILL BE REQUIRED
TO HAVE CLEAN CLOTHES.
And a Recent Shine Must Go With
Them, Also -- No Hope
for the Cop That Drinks.
Clothes clean and freshly pressed, and shoes recently shined is the order which went forth from the police board yesterday to the policemen. Drill Sergeant Morrison will be instructed to see that this ruling is carried out.
Mayor Crittenden made the suggestion, and the other two commissioners heartily indorsed his recommendation.
"Nothing prejudices me so against an officer as for him to have grease s pots on his clothing, his trousers baggy at the knees and his shoes rusty looking," said the mayor. "A man who is slovenly in his personal appearance will be careless in his duty. I don't like to see it."
"There's one excuse for the officers," said Commissioner Jones. "I think they are underpaid They ought to have at least $10 a month more. Then they could better afford to pay to have their clothes cleaned and pressed, and it could be required of them."
"Yes, it's true that the patrolmen are underpaid," said Commissioner Gallagher. "But some of them are able to keep neat on their present salaries, and I don't see why the rest can't do equally as well. I see some dirty, greasy policemen that are a disgrace to the town."
"We don't expect the police to by a new suit every few days or every season," said Commissioner Jones. "We never complain of them wearing old clothes. But it should be insisted upon that they be neat."
The Third regiment armory will hereafter be used for the drills, instead of Convention hall. In the new place a course of neatness is expected to be added to the regular exercises by Sergeant Morrison, and each man will be required to learn by heart some good recipe for removing grease spots from clothing.
While on the police question Mayor Crittenden said:
"I want it generally understood that a policeman who drinks while on duty will be discharged and never taken back with my vote."
"I don't like a policeman to drink, either on or off duty," said Commissioner Jones.
"They have already made it a rule in St. Louis not to take back policemen who are found drinking on duty," said Commissioner Gallagher. "I think it is about time we were making the same rule here."
