The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-12-09


duced by Senator Norbeck and Repre-
sentative Strong, while another intro
duced by Senator Norbeck and Repre-
sentative Nelson would authorize the
War Finance Corporation to make
loans to foreign purchasers of Ameri-
can agricultural products.
REPORT OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL
Washington, Dec "a new basic
judicial organization, to meet the aug
mented work which has resulted from
'the ever-increasing complexity of
government" was suggested by At
torney General Daugherty in his an
NAL report made public here Thursday,
on the operations of the department
Of justice Noting that 60,722 crimi-
nal cases were begun in the last fiscal
year, the report declared the point
was being approached "where a re-
vamping of the machinery used in
this work is inevitable"
Adoption of some method by which
the government could retain attor-
neys who have special knowledge of
government matters in addition to
legal training was one of the several
suggestions advanced by Mr.. Daugh-
erty. The recently enacted legislation
providing additional judges should
help the situation, he said, but prob
ably will not entirely remedy it.
"The failure of local self-govern-
ment in parts of the country" the re-
port said, 'results in the insistence Of
the citizens of those communities that
the federal government perform that
function in which the local govern
nent has failed, and frequently in
matters where there is concurrent
jurisdiction between the state and
federal governments it is difficult to
establish a policy as to the extent to
which the federal government should
take jurisdiction. This is peculiarly
true of offenses arising under the fed
eral reserve act. There has been an
effort on the part of this division dur
ing this fiscal year to have the United
States attorneys and the state prose
cutting attorneys meet from time tc
time for the purpose of cooperation
Evidence of the benefits of these meet
ings is overwhelming.
"The existing procedure for the re
moval of a defendant to the jurlsd1c
tion where the crime was committed
is unduly cumbersome and results IL
unjustifed delay and injustice. Under
such procedure the trial is frequentl!
delayed from one to two years."
Announcement was made in the re
port of the "desire of the department
to return, or to recommend for return
all property seized under the trading
with the enemy act in cases wher
the owners come within "the enabling
section" of the act
"The question in almost all of thes
cases." Mr.. Daugherty reported, 81
either of title or of citizenship. Fo
instance, the alien property custodian
has seized and now holds the prop
erty of estates, which are quite com
plicated, by reason of the rights o
United States citizens, alleged to hav
been acquired subsequent to the wal
Oftentimes the question becomes on
of the validity of an assignment o
the acquisition of title prior to tn
war, and in this connection it is ex
ceedingly difficult at times to dlstlr
guish between the pre-war ownershi
of claimant and simple claim Q
Indebtedness, and it is then necessar
to have the question submitted to tn
courts.
"It has also been necessary to sen
representative of the department
Europe to secure evidence from thos
: familiar with certain cases. This ev
ton and trial of these cases and in tn
determination of certain claims, s
: that a fair and impartial hearin
could be given to itigants and claim
ants. In fact, it was usually at tt
request of litigants and claimant
:, that these representatives were sci
d abroad, and, while such investigation
ard the taking of such evidence ser
ed to accommodate claimants, 1T hk
wise protected the government in Il
administration of the trusts create
over these properties.
at may be expected that the futu,
will see any number of interpret
tions by the courts of the provision
of section 9 and of the question as
whether the litigant is proper par
T. claimant under this section. The que
tions of law arising are many, al
while, in general, it may be said tn
the provisions of section 9 do not co
f1ict, it must be recognized that the
exist some exceedingly close que
tions as to which of the provisions