The New York herald., 1921-03-13
RAND AND KRESEL
QUIT PROSECUTIONS
designations Accepted as
Members Of Attorney-Gen-
erals Staff.
FOUGHT TRADE COMBINES
Daugherty Expected to Name
Men Of Own Choice, Is
Explanation.

Isdore J. Kresel and William Rand,
members OF the law firm OF Jerome,
Rand & Kresel, who were appointed
January to begin nationwide drive
against Illegal building trades conbina-
tions, have ceased to be members of the
Attorney-Generars staff. Announcement
was made last night at the offices OF the
Department Of Justice in Washington
that Attorney-Ge General Daugherty had
accepted their designations. which were
rendered to him on March when he
assumed office.
Nothing was said in the announce
ment from the Department of Justice
about the appointment Of new special
prosecutors to continue the work which
Mr.. Rand and Mr.. Kresel began, and
the whole future OF their campaign re-
mains matter of speculation. 1t was
suggested that the new Attorney Gen.
eral does not approve the expense OF
hiring special deputies attorney-general
for work OF this kind, which really
might be handled by the United States
Attorney.
The acceptance OF the designations
caused surprise in some circles because,
when the men were appointed by Attor-
ney-General Palmer, 1t was said their
work probably would take more than a
years time and that It would extend
from coast to coast. 1t was then pointed
out that special prosecutors In cases OF
this kind have usually been continued
in office despite changes Of administra-
ton.
Both Mr.. Rand and Mr.. Kresel stated
last night to a representative OF THE
NEW YORK HERALD that they had re-
ceived no official word OF the new At
torney- Generals action in accepting
their designations. They both expressed
themselves as quite satisfied, however.
Mr.. Kresel said that their joint letter Of
resignation was mot simply the formal
resignation that an appointee sends with
the hope that 1t will be refused. 1t was
a sincere request to be relieved Of our
duties"
Mr. Rand remarked that as their ap-
pointment had been an eleventh hour af-
fair anyway on the part of Attorney
General Palmer, they had felt that the
new Attorney General would do well to
select men Of his own choosing to carry
the work on. Both attorneys have found
the pressure of their private business
such that it was difficult for them to
attend to the mass of work which their
Federal post imposed upon them.
The most conspicuous result or their
appointment was the indictment on
March / OF seventy-four corporations
and forty individuals connected with
The so-called cement trust for al
legged criminal violation OF the Sherman
antitrust law.
Their appointment last January was
largely the result OF prodding by Sam
uel Untermyer, who as counsel to the
Lockwood committee investigated ce-
ment and several other nationwide
combines and urged Federal action
again them. IT was heralded at the
time as a thing destined to prove of
great importance. but soon after they
had taken office Mr. Untermyer re-
newed his protests with vigor. and a
few days before the cement combine
was indicted he announced that unless
their investigation showed more con-
spicuous results he would ask the new
Attorney-GeneTal TO name new assist
ants to direct ii.