19 JULY 1935, Page 3

Police Organization, Sir John Simon was no doubt justified in

saying that the improvement in police services and in other branches of Home Office work was very great since he was last at the Home Office, 20 years ago. And he is right in saying that a great deal has been done to enlist science on the side of crime-fighting, and to bring the manifold resources of Scotland Yard quickly into play when a crime has been committed. But science, it has to be remembered, is also at the disposal of the criminal, and he does not hesitate to use its mechanism. There remains, as Mr. Harcourt Johnstone suggested, far too large a volume of undetected' and unpunished crime in the capital, as elsewhere. So large a proportion of the police force has in recent years been diverted to new work 'not directly connected with crime prevention or detection that the number available for Police work proper is smaller than it should be. Recent increases in the Force have not made good the deficiency. This is a case where increased expenditure is- likely to boom necessary. Some part of • it—for traffic directicin—might be debited to the Road Fund. • •