Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-08

Next to the Department of State, the
Department Of Justice is the smallest of
the nine executive departments of the
government Yet it is one of the most
important of them all 1t is here that
the laws under which the other depart
ments act are construed and the gen.
eral laws of the country find the means
for their enforcement. The office of At
torney General was created for the legal
adviser Of the President under the judi
ciary act of 1889. In the early history of
the country that officials chief duty was
to guide the course Of the chief magis-
trate along legal lines. Since that time
his duties have expanded, until today he
is charged with the work of prosecuting
attorney for the government, administra-
tive control of the court system of the
country and. the supervision of the fed
eral prisons.
When the attorney gencralship first was
created it carried with it a salary of
only S1,00O year. and the Attorney Cen
eral was supposed to pay his clerks sal
airy out of that. He was not required to
reside in Washington, and was permitted
to continue his private law practice while
serving as Attorney, General of the
United States. In 1874 the duties of his
Office were increased, but it was not until
1870 that is was transformed into a full
fedged department of the government.
The Attorney General was the only MEM
Der of the cabinet who prior to 1870 did
not have charge of department.
When Congress passes an act of legislation
it usually is the workmanship of many
hands. The orig
MANY Take Part inal bill is amend
in Preparing Bill ed until it often
bears bat few marks of its original au-
thorship. The result is that a completed
act very often is a patchwork Of ideas,
and not especially noted for its ,perspicac-
ity of expression. 1t is often difficult to
understand just what Congress meant to
say and sometimes one must read care
fully the voluminous debates of the House
and Senate before one can determine COR
rectly the meaning of its legislation. This
gives rise to differences of opinion as to
the true meaning of many legislative acts
and to many controversies before the de-
partment and in the courts. An instance
of this has been the construction of the
pure food law That law left much doubt
as to exactly what constitutes violation
1t was this that led to the prOpounding
of the famous query: What is whisky"
That question was thrashed out in the De-
partment of Agriculture, and finally car
ried up to the Attorney General
The Constitution of the United States
provides that suits may not be brought
against the government by individuals. In
cases where individuals have claims
against the government that may not be
carried to the Court of Claims it becomes
the duty of the Attorney General to sit
in judgment and make recommendations
to the President in the premises. His
decision practically amounts to a final
verdict, against which there is no appeal.
y x
The Department of Justice acts as title
attorney for the government. The law
provides that no
Title Attorney money may be ex-
for Government. p pr"', nr,l ,u by
any CT the executive departments until
the question of title has been settled. AS
Uncle Sam is a heavy realty owner. and
property, the work of the department as
title attorney engages the attention of a
considerable force.
In the role of prosecuting attorney for
the government the Department of JUS
tfce looks after all actions at law or
suits in equity in which the United States
the revenue laws he is placed in the Gus
tody of United States marshal and is
prosecuted by a district attorney. under
the general direction Of the department
Of Justice. If a man is accused of rob-
bling the mails he is arrested by the IN