The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-29
Declares Underground"
Movement Is Operating
Everywhere"
FEDERAL PRISONS
ARE OVERCROWDED
More Than 1900 Convicts
At LeavenwOrth; 2,100
At Atlanta.

Radical activities have reached a
new high water mark in the United
States and are increasing from
week 70 week and month to month.
according 10 William J. Burns.
chief Investigator for the Depart
ment OF Justice
The Soviet government of Russia.
unemployment and prohibition have
all contributed to the amazing sit
uation. he declared The activities
consist Of powerful 'underfround''
movement. operating everywhere"
in the country. said Burns. and Il
cannot impress upon you too much
how dangerous they are at the
present moment"
In a digest of the crime situation
existing in this country yesterday.
made possible through the puhlica-
ton of executive hearings before
the House appropriations subcom-
mittee. Burns revelations on RADICAL
movements constitute the hnost
striking feature.
Prisons Are Overcrowdrd.
Such has been the increase IN
Federal ofrenses throughout the
country that all the government
penitentiaries are establishing new
records for inmates.
Not only have male prisoners in
creased within the last year hut
female prisoners as well have
reached the point that the govern
ment is urgently pressed for solu-
tion Of the housing problem one
State institution. located at Mounds
vile W Va. able 10 take in
women prisoners within recent
months. has now advised the Fed
eral authorities IL can house No
more There is only ono .Cher
State institution now capable ~ re-
ceiving women prisoners and that
! one. according to Federal officers.
will be filed b. April I.
Huge increase In Wear.
Additions are being built {" a'l
Of the Federal pcnitentiarics TO a.
commOdate the unexpected dena uo~
for room How great these demands
have become may he shown ny tn"
fact that at LeaNenworth tn re are
more than $500 prisoners. Es COM
pared with an average of 1893 dur
ing the first six months Of 1877 At
Atlanta penitentiary there at" over
200 prisoners while tn" inmateS
# the McNeil Island penit ntiary
have increased over 50 per cent
With state panitenJiaries Cener-
ally filled and with Federal n'niten-
tiaries anticipating even greater
population than the record housing
they are now called on to perform.
the administration is going to make
an experiment IN reform work
among first offenders"
1t is estimated by Attorney Cen
eral DauEherty that some 400 or
500 men. between tho ages ~ lSand
30 years. are now serving Federal
sentences for their first offenses.
Plans Big RefOrmatOry.
1t is the plan Of the government
to take the Camp Grant site at
Rockville. Ill, and convert il into a
reformatory institution for these
men. InasmuCh. however. as the
government docs not own all of the
! site, Congress probably will he re-
/ que sted to pass a hill Of Condemna-
1 tion TO enable the government TO
/ get a clear title.
Rv placing tho first offenders"
l in such an institution. Nj. paugh-
( erty heIieveS-and he has the sup
port OF President HardinC-it would
be possible to correct the. morals,
teach them trades ard beror" long.
| he believes. nine out Of ten could be
trusted on parole.
Mr.. DauEhrrty would haV" the in
Stitut.on administered ny an organ
lzatiun either within or without IN.
/ Federal government. The more
/ quickly the men are released. NJ"
/ believes. tho surer the State would
he of saving them as valuable Citi-
zens.
Sec Crime Wave RcrcdinS.
. Generally speaking. according to
/ justice authOrities-Burns. AJtoT-
/ nev General DauEherty. Mrs. Mahc'
Walker willebrandt. Assistant At
/ torney General in charge or prose-
/ cutting violations Of the prohibition
law. and others-Crime in the
/ United states has reached its apex
1 following the war and is now re-
cedinE." Strictly Fede al offens'>,
however. have increased until the
Federal penitentiaries hold record
number Of prisoners And the in
| vestigations Of the department Of
| Justice have Increased enormously
| also.
In the field Of its investivations,
/ Burns declared. radical activities
/ have been such As to impose a
/ tremendous burden upon Secret
Service operatives.
Propaganda Main Weapon.
Radical activities have increased
wonderfully he said, even "vrT
what-they were year OF two years
ago. They have not heeE blowing
up yards and ammunition places.
hut the underground system by
which they are carrying this on 1T
| the present time is tremendous.
Very little is ever said in the news
papers about IL. but we arc in very
| close touch with il. IL is stronger
now than IL ever was-thIs shop
propaganda, everywhere. TIE radi-
| calls have almost revolutiOnized
;heir methods Of working. so the
part they did formerly opening. to-
day is all underground work and q
great deal Of IL Is going on"
Asked as to what he believed &"
h~ 'Ha r~"~~s -" th'~ ~
situation. Burns said: in the hrst
] "a. 4. 90 .,. sts H.... are
ernment is responsible TO- T,..:
ii and the unemployment situation
adds to IL. Prohibition also has
mad some effect.
In a resume of the leading in
] N o pn,,- 1,N1r1aF-Esf.- TNn