Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-12-05

said the Coast Guard was not ade-
| quate with the present equipment to
patrol tie long Atlantic and Pacific
coasts effectually, and reiterated
statistics of liquor transactions in the
bahama Islands indicating extensive
smuggling into this country.
Mrs. Wiliebrandt also commented
OIL the disparity between sentences
imposed by various federal courts in
prohibition cases.
I'm many Of the districts" her re-
! port said, ''the variance between
sentences imposed for violations of
the national prohibition act and
those imposed for convictions of 9TH
er federal crimes is striking. Some
courts which exact maximum penal
ties in other federal crimes are re-
luctant ITO place heavy punishment
on prohibition violators."
War fraud prosecutions, the At
torney Generals report stated, have
been pushed vigorously. Hundreds
of cases are under investigation, with
S3,232.000 already collected and judg-
ments of S1,225, 900 additional secured.
About 100 cases involving $64.237 900,
exclusive of the Chemical Founda-
ton suit at Wilmington, Del, now
are pending in the courts, with "a in
dictments already returned.
Pioneer work in the war frauds
section has been accomplished, the
report said. although much time to
bring the cases to conclusion will be
required. Compromise settlements
are being made in number OF cases,
the report said, with realizations
from this source already totalling SO,
70S, 900.
Antitrust cases to the number Of
A are pending, according to the re-
port of Augustus Z. Seymour, Assis-
tant Attorney General in charge of
that work. Twenty such cases were
disposed of during the last year.
While 1t is the purpose of the De-
partment Of Justice not to unnecess-
arily interfere with private business"
said Mr.. Seymour, "the federal anti
trust laws must be enforced against
whoever may attempt to interpuse
artificial restraints in any channel Of
interstate trade"
Mr.. Seymour's report recited the
progress made in the sugar conspir-
acy case, the reopening of the Har-
vester Trust case, the cement and
lumber dealers. and window glass
prosecutions, the Central Pacific Tn
ion Pacific merger, the United Shoe
and other cases.
In criminal cases, in charge of John
w. Fl. Grim, Assistant Attorney Gen
oral, marked increase in convictions
was reported. Specifically, the In
crease was: White slave act. 32 per
cent; motor vehicle theft act. 16 per
cent; postal frauds, per cent ma
tional banking act ia per cent: anti
narcotic act, 10 per cent.
Public lands 1ifipatiou oIe0 1,,oe
heavy during the last year, William
ID. Ritter. Assistant Attorney General
reported. With 164 civil and 81 GRIM
NAL cases pending at the years out
set. DO civil and ca criminal suits
were instituted. Disposed of during
the year were 113 civil and II criminal
cases, mostly favorably to the gov
eminent. Money recoveries in such
cases aggregated $572000.
A great increase in claims filed
against the government was reported
by Robert Fl. Lovett, Assistant in
eharge, OF the claims section. On
June 30 last 1857 claims aggregating
$l.546,659.0 600 were pending, of which
i.o93 totalling $1.0S5.895, 900 were filed
during the last year. Most OF these
grew out of war transactions. Suc-
cessful resistance of the government
In many claims cases also was dis
closed In the report, which said that
during the year the Court Of Claims
dismissed a total of 1O4 claims ak-
gresating S12.655.0 900 and In the other
% cases claimants recovered only 81
017.00B.
An interesting chapter Of Attorney
General Daugherty's report dealt
with the woxk of the Bureau of M
vestigation. headed by William j.
BURNS: He reported thousands of
criminal investigations. from espion-
age to violations of the federal mo-
tor vehicle theft law. Deserters,
draft dodgers, bootleggers, rum
stnugglers and many other criminal
classes fell afeul of the Bureaus
agents. The report also disclosed
that the gevernt1efit has stan OF
agents specially TRAINED to ferret out
violations of the antitrust laws.
HeBer Fl. Votaw, superintendent of
Federal prisons, renewed recon.
r1endatlofs for additional pfisef IA
eilities, reporting that the three fed
eral prisons, at Atlanta, LeaSenw6rtli
and McNeirs Island, were "filled to
capacity" last year. A prison for
male first offenders and better ac-
cancellations for employment for feds
eral prisoners also was recommend
ed
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