The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-17
CONGRESS MAY TAKE ACTION ID SUPPRESS AG|TAT0RS
Department of Justice De- sires Revision of Neu- trality Laws So As to
 Cover Conspiracy

Washington November 16-Revision of the federal neutrality laws so the de- partment of justice can deal with Of lenses difficult if not impossible to reach under existing statutes is one of the tasks Congress will be asked to undertake at the coming session.
 This was one of the subjects discussed at the cabinet meeting today, and Attor- ney General Gregory afterward said his department would ask for change in the sherman antitrust act so there would be no question about it's application to conspiracies such as are believed to have been responsible for recent strikes in mu- milton plants, attempts to blow up ships sailing from American ports and other ac- tivities having for their object interfer- ence with interstate and foreign com merce.
 Amendment of the sherman act, now ever. probably will not be the only legis- Iation. of that character sought from Con- gress
 ,. Deyelopments of the last six months have convinced officials that there is a woeful lack of specific neutrality stat utes. for many alleged crimes have gone unpunished after time has been spent in investigation because government law yers felt that convictions could not be secured About the only statutes now ir
 the criminal code that have been invoked successfully are those aimed at the trans portation of explosives unmarked, in in terstate commerce. and the law against enlistment in the United States for for eign service. Government attorneys will be freely consulted by the Attorney Gen eral regarding what sort of legislation IS needed and 1t is possible that an effort
 will be made to codify the laws of the
 United States relating to neutrality vio'
 lations, to espionage and kindred mat ters m
 Increased Power of Secret Service Although no detailed programme ha. been decided upon, an attempt may DO made to enlarge the powers of the secre'
 service so that it may be able to copt with conditions such as now exist her' as a result of the European war and thu Interests of belligerent governments 1T this country. Under the present law thu secret service cannot use it's regular mer in any work except detection of counter fAiters and protection of the President Although Chief Flynn is said to be ern ploying more than 50 men in war plot In vestigations. they all really are employe: of the state department acting under Flynn's direction While the bureau oi inyestigation of the department of jus tice is not so hampered, having funt of nearly s5oO0OO at it's disposal It's ac tivities in other lines are so numerous that it's regular force cannot be uset exclusively on the task of ferreting out wal plotters.
 How an attempt to consolidate the ser vices or to enlarge the powers of thu secret service would be regarded by Con gress officials are not prepared to say Congress only few years ago took some of the broad powers away from the secret service after disagreement with Presi dent Roosevelt. The extraordinary con ditions now existing, however, are count ed upon to bring sufficient support to any change the administration may determine upon.