New-York tribune., 1922-05-31
u. S. and State
Attorneys Hunt
! Curb for Crime
Prosecutors TO Urge Remedy
for Overlapping of Crimi-
nal Laws at Bar Associa.
ton Conference To-day
Whitman to Make Plea
Committee to Discuss Meas
ures Against Professional
Bondsmen and Witnesses

Hiram Todd, United States Attorney
FOR the northern district Of New York,
and other representatives of both the
Federal District Attorneys. Association
and the New York State District At
torneys' Association will ;Npear before
the committee on law enforcement Of
the American Bar Association to day.
The committee is in session at the
Bar Association Building, AZ West
Forty-fourth Street, to consider means
for coping with crime.
One of the matters unon which the
district attorneys will be asked to give
their views is the overlapping of Fed
eral and state laws covering criminal
offenses. In this connection former
Governor Charles s. Whitman, who is
the New York member of the com
mittce, said yesterday:
"Uniform state laws to take away
from criminals the protection from
Federal action now furnished by many
states will. it is expected, be recon-
mended by the committee to the Amer
lean Bar Association We expect the
Federal and state district attorneys
who are to appear to o-morrow to make
suggestions and to point out instances
Of overlapping that will be Of much
value to the committee.
Bills to Be Discussed
"There are a number of bills pending
IN Congress which the committee will
also discuss tomorrow. for the pur
pose Of making recommendations
Among them is one seeking to increase
the number of United States district
Judges, and comforting upon the Chief
Justice and senior circuit judges the
power to supervise the work Of the
courts. and to see that the dockct5 are
kept clear. This bill the committee
will indorse."
The committee will continue It's dis
cussion Of various measures designed
to break up organized "crime groups
about which considerable information
has been collected. This evidence
shows that the groups have regularly
retained professional bondsmen and
expert witnesses and that they are
skilfully coached in the techncalities
of the law.
reduced to the simplest equation,' Nh.
Whitman said yesterday, 'is a conflict
between less than a third of per
cent. represented by law violators, and
the 90 2-3 per cent OF law abiding citi
zens. The men whose business it is to
put the laws in operation must con-
slider ways and means of curbine this
minority.'
Data from L. s. and Canada
For months members of the com
mittee have been at work throughout
the United States and Canada gather
ing data. They have been considering
law enforcement from threefold
aspect:
First, the exact facts as to the extent
of .awlessness in the United States,
which involves a comparison with Eng
land, France and Germany; second,
causes as TO lawlessness now prevalent
in this and other countries; third. the
suggestion of remedies to mitigate and
cure. if possible, these ills which afFiict
all governments at this time.
William B. Swaney, former Attorney
General Of Chattanooga, Tenn. is
chairman Of the committee. Other
members are MIR. Whitman. Charles W
Farnham, Of st. Paul. and Wade II.
Ellis, Of Washington, former Attorney
General