Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-02
WANTS NEW BUILDING
Early Legislation Urged by At
torney General.
NECESSITY IS PRESSING
Changes in Form Of Antitrust Laws
Desired.
FAVORS INCREASE IN SALARIES
Recommends That Other Titles Be
Applied to His Assistants in
Department Of Justice.
FAv0Rs INCREASE IN SALARIES

The Attorney General, in his annual re-
port submitted to Congress today, urges
that action be taken at this session of
Congress for the erection of building on
the lot of land opposite the Treasury De-
partment now held in the name of the De-
partment of Justice. on which. he says, a
suitable. business-like building could be
erected within a year. and which would
meet the undesirable conditions now ex-
listing with reference to the housing of
the Department of Justice. The Attorney
General urges that no architectural or
other essentially decorative reason should
be allowed to interfere with the pressing
necessity of the department for build
ing in which all it's officials might be
housed. so that the present inconvenient
method of renting scattered buildings may
be discontinued.
The Antitrust Laws.
The Attorney General specifically re-
trains from making any recommendations
or suggestions as to changes of substance
in the antitrust or interstate commerce
laws, stating that such recommendations
or suggestions would involve considera-
tions of general policy lying beyond the
appropriate field of duty of the Depart
ment of Justice, his view of the function
of the department being that 1t Is only
to secure the effectual and impartial en-
forcement of existing laws.
He does, however, suggest certain
changes as to form. He calls attention to
the enormous delay expense and troupe
involved in furnishing legal proof of facts
which are perfectly notorious. and which
are merely formally denied to compel the
production of such proof. Owing to the
magnitude of the interests involved,
enormous delay, expense and trouble are
thereby caused, and the Attorney Gen
eral recommends the enactment OF
statute which will give the process of the
courts engaged in trying civil cases under
the laws named the same scope In Sc
curing the attendance of witnesses as is
permitted by existing law with regard to
process in criminal cases for the same
purpose.
He also recommends that courts of
equity be empowered to authorize the
taking of testimony before several ex-
aminers simultaneously, and In as many
different districts as the courts may deem
appropriate to further the ends Of justice.
The Attorney General also recommends
legislation specifying the circumstances
under which receivers may be appointed
to adjust the business of offending cor
porations to the requirements of the law,
and states that he makes this recommen-
dation rather for the purpose } remov-
ing opportunities for demonstration and
possible misrepresentation of the purpose
and scope of such relief than because he
thinks there is probability of unfortunate
consequences from the granting Of such
prayers.
The Attorney General. In the last year.
has given eighty-one opinions, of which
eighteen were in response to requests
from the President, and sixty-three In
response to requests from heads of other
departments.
The Peonage Prosecutions.
Tho Attorney General calls special at
tention to the peonage prosecutions, which
are the subject of a special report attach
ed to the Attorney Generals annual re-
port; also to the matter OF the prosecu-
ton of land frauds; the final action in the
long warfare against the lottery business,
and to a report on the subject of the
operations of the department under the
naturalization law. With references to
the peonage cases the Attorney General
says that prosecutions have been under
taken under considerable difficulties, and
not always with success, but that such
prosecutions have served valuable end
in calling attention to the revelation of
abuses incident to peonage practices and
to the fragrant and revolving outrages to
which they occasionally give rise, as well
as in warning the helpless classes suffer-
ing from such abuses as to the dangers to
which they may be exposed.
Proposed Administrative Changes.
The attorney general calls attention to
the changes recommended for the per-
sonnet of the department and included in
the annual estimates to Congress. He has
recommended an increase of 81, 500 in the
salary of the solicitor general. and an in
crease Of 81 900 in the salary of the as
sistant to the Attorney General and of
each of the assistant attorneys general
He recommends that the title of the as
sistant to the Attorney General be changed
to "chief counsel" in order to avoid con-
fusion with other titles under the depart
ment, an. that the titles Of the junior
members of the permanent legal staff be
changed to counsel for the seniors and
Solicitors for the junior members of
asked for two additional assistant attor-
neyS general and one additional counsel,
the latter at a salary of 5000. and also
for an administrative assistant" who
shall be an assistant secretary Of justice
and have charge of the administration
and routine matters of the departing Mt
for the purpose Of relieving the superior
legal officers Of duties not in line with
Their regular work and which are found to
be d hindrance to the legal work of the
department on account of the consider
abb, demand on their time and the I'M
desirable interruption Of the consideration
of legal matters.
Detective Force Wanted.
The Attorney General also calls atten-
ton to the fact that the department is en-
TREY without an executive, and especially
without a detective force. He speaks ap-
preciatively of the service which has been
rendered to the department by the secret
service division of the Treasury Depart.
ment. but calls attention to the economies
and increased efficiency which would fol-
low the placing small, carefully selected
and efficient detective body under the ad-
ministration of the Department of Justice
for work connected with Investigations,
and also for use in emergencies which are
now met by the appointment of special
deputies to United States marshals.
RUNAWAY AUTO KILLS ONE.