The New York herald., 1921-02-13

crime year the United States has ex-
perienced since 1897. according to
William H. Moran, chief of the United States
Bureau of Secret Service. This increased
activity of criminals extended to practically
every phase Of illegal endeavor but bank
robbers, counterfeiters and forgers were par
tlcularly active
Chief Moran attributes the great increase
in crime to, first, the unsettled conditions fol-
lowing the war; and second, to prohibition,
though he qualities both these statements.
"It has been stated by prominent observers
that the returned soldier is responsible for
the crime increase" said the veteran Secret
Service man. PERSONALLY do not like that
manner of stating the situation. While 1t Is
undoubtedly true that discharged soldiers
have in many instances been implicated In
crime during the past year, it is incorrect to
infer that there was something in the mill
tary experience of our soldiers abroad which
made them criminal.
"The fact is that the mobilization of our
army brought thousands of boys from the
country districts to the cities and gave them
for the first time in their lives a glimpse of
the attractions of metropolitan life. In many
instances these youngsters were so fascinated
by the bright lights. the hurry and hustle
and the glamour of higher wages that they
districts, or IL they did return soon became
dissatisfied and again sought Cities often
with little or no capital to tide them over
until they secured job.
"In this way thousands of inexperienced
young men were congregated in a strange
environment at time when the first press
ure of unemployment was beginning to be
felt. That some of the weaker among them
should have yielded to temptation was per-
laps inevitable.
Readjustment of Industries
Important Factor in Wave
Another factor which has had its inhl-
ence in giving impetus to the so-called
crime wave Is readiustment In war indus-
tries. Since 1914 men working in NUM-
tons plants, shipbuilding plants and other
industr es which sprang up as result OF
the war mad made wages which In some
instances were six or eight times as great
as they had ever been paid before. Many
Of these workers were scarcely more than
semi-skilled laborers, and were often totally
lacking in the saving instinct.
"They spent their earnings as rapidly as
they received them. often extravagantly
and senselessly. taking no account OF the
fact that the era of prosperity was bound
to come to an end. When the armistice
came and the various governments began
to cancel contracts. factories were COM
pellod to close and thousands of young men
who had been making from $50 to $3.50 a
week found themselves without jobs
"The greater part Of them had saved
practically nothing. and many had con-
tracted extravagant tastes and methods of
living which made them unwilling to re-
turn to the jobs and wages with which they
had been satisfied before the war. Such
conditions naturally were prolific OF CT me-
"The preceding discussion has to do with
the mctamorphosis of the potential criminal
into an active worker in the craft The
same set OF circumstances, however. had
their effect upon the professional criminal.
Even the person OF innate criminal tenden-
cies will sometimes go straight II he finds
IL convenient and profitable to do so. and
during the period of high profits and loose
money which inevitably accompanied war,
many professional criminals found II easier
to engage in legitimate business for the
time being When this era came to an end
the professional criminal returned to his old
pursuits with even greater zest.
1T has been said that prohibition may
have had some effect upon crime. Indirect
ly at least, IL has. believe that the closing
OF saloons throughout the United States
has made II necessary for thousands of for
mer habitues OF these places to find other
haunts and other activities. and many OF
them whose violations Of the law under old