New-York tribune., 1922-01-12
Public Called
TO Help Fight
Crime w ave

Of all laws and our so-called reputable
and responsible citizens must not wink
at violations of some laws and thus
lead to disrespcct Of all laws
There should be an expression from
this conference that there has been an
abuse of the issuance Of pistol permits.
] know it has happened in my county.
In the city of Buffalo permits have
been issued to one out of sixteen citi-
zens, making an armed community Of
what ought to be a peaceful commune
ty. am in favor of disarmament in
so far as it concerns the carrying Of
dangerous weapons.
We are ready to do our duty as
prosecuting officials. but we cannot ac
complish the results we ought to un-
less we have back of us public opin-
ion respecting law and its enforcement
and which will stand back of public of
fcials who enforce the laws Of the state
and fulfill their duties as public Off
Gals"
Governor Miller. who came in at the
opening of the afternoon session, ad
dressed the gathering shortly before
Mr. Moore made his speech. Said the
Governor:
"Thc suggestion of bringing into
closer cooperation the agencies. both
Federal and state, dealing with the
administration of the criminal law
should be productive Of very great
value. Certainly it is a subject that is
arrcsting the attention of everybody
concerned with our welfare and prog
rcss, because there probably has never
been time within our memory when
there was moro disrespcct for law cx-
hibitcd in various ways than to-day
and if anything can be done to bring
about a more wholesome respect for
law then that thing needs to be done
! am sure that in the hands of the men
charged with administration of the
criminal law and in the way their du-
tics are discharged, in connection, of
course, with the courts, lie the avenues
and the means of finding improvement
in this respect"
State Attorney General Newton in
opening the meeting said:
"Therc seems to be tendency on the
part of our education leaders to belitte
or lear down the enforcement Of our
laws. They are teaching our children
Of our schools that the Constitution is
out Of date and dilapidated. They
should teach our children respect for
law and order and especially the Con-
stitution.'
He then introduced John ". IT. Grim,
ASS slant United States Attorney Cen
cral, who was sent here by Attorney
General Daugherty. Mr.. Grim said that
the Fedora courts were congestcd with
all sorts of cases, especially for using
the mails to defraud, and that some of
these cases date back to the end Of the
first term of the Wilson Administra-
ton.
Mr. Grim charged local officials with
failing to prosecute ana cited mum
Der OF cases which should have oecn
prosecuted by local officers, which we re
taken direct to President Harding
Among these cases were complaints
! that a small stu was being operatcd ID
in New Jersey; that a bootlcggcr was
selling rum to a Sunday school picnic
/ in Virginia.: the larceny of freight
consigned from New York TO Nebraska,
a stock swinding scheme in New York
the sale of opium to Kansas City school
children; Tho theft of an automobile
in phladelph and tho robbery Of q
state bank by its cashier.
Grim Scores Local Officers
AN enormous percentage Of tht
work being dorc by the Department o.
Justice is work that could he done
more efficiently and at much less cos
by the local government said Mr.
Grim "Thc burden of this charactcl
of work is 50 great on that depart
mont that it is fairly staggering undej
its load Unless relieved, bureaucracy
is inevitable with its attendant evils
District Attorney Banton, in reply tt
Mr.. Grim, said:
"Thc answer to it all is that Con
gross has been invading tho rights o.
the states. Almost every crimina
statute on the books Of tho state i
parallelcd on the Federal statutes.
"Thc business of the w-cnforcinl
agencies has exceeded the growth o.
the judicial machinery. In New Norl
County alone there arc pending 2.oS.