Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/864

 830 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

moreover, ready to pump water as soon as it arrives at the scene of the fire without waiting to unhitch or to get up steam. Frankfurt a. M. exhibited a model of its pneumatic ladder ; and Bremen, models and photographs of its fire-boats. The fire department of Dresden exhibited a number of plans of action for attacking fire in public buildings and in other buildings thought to be especially liable to take fire. The plans of the buildings include the positions of the nearest water hydrants and of the most advantageous points from which to fight the fire. Dresden possesses only two steam fire engines, and these for emergency use only, because the high-pressure water supply is sufficient protec- tion. Breslau exhibited a model of the municipal theater in which the smoke ventilators over the stage are opened mechani- cally by the lowering of the iron curtain. To avoid danger from highly charged wires of the electric street railways, the Dresden fire department is able to make a short circuit by means of an insulated cable, of which a full-sized model was exhibited, which connects the overhead wire with the track.

Police. The protective police are under state, rather than municipal, direction, but presented an exhibit in a special depart- ment of the exposition. The organization embraces a number of departments, some of which may be noted. The political police has oversight of the press, clubs, meetings, political crim- inals, etc. The criminal police has charge of crimes and offenses in so far as they do not come more directly within the scope of one of the other departments. The Dresden police made an exhibit of the dactyloscopic process of identification, together with the system of filing the finger prints. The traffic depart- ment has charge of licensing and inspection of cabs, carriages, omnibuses, and street railways, of bicycles and automobiles, and also of direction and licensing of commissionaires. Another department has charge of licensing amusements, theatrical presen- tations, lectures, etc., together with censorship of the same, and the licensing and direction of cafes, restaurants, beer halls, etc. The registration department catalogues all persons in the police district, whether permanently or transiently. Worms uses the loose-leaf system for this register. Dresden uses a card catalogue in the district, and a booking system at the central office. Besides the