Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-31

done by foreign born persons.
1t will be recalled that the out
break of the war brought into play
the European reservist system. Near
ly all European governments main
tanned this system and called home
their subjects and citizens wherever
they were. This meant that the
reservist system drew q dragnet over
the United States and gathered up
literally hundreds of foreigners with
criminal records and shipped them
to Europe for Army service in the
great war.
Police officials of all American
cities and operatives of the Secret
Service and the Bureau of Investiga-
ton report that their lists were
greatly reduced by the withdrawal
from the United States of these for
eign-born law-breakers. To be sure,
many of them escaped the reservist
dragnet and remained in this coLn-
try, but probably a greater number
were taken home for service. Many
were glad to leave the United States,
preferring to take the chances of war
to those of apprehension IN this
country.
That movement was from Ameri-
ca to Europe and effected an impor-
tant transfer of portion Of the
criminal population.
The second movement was in the
other direction. There were in 4Iu-
rope the usual number of criminals
of various kinds and most of them
were caught in the various conscrip.
tions or they volunteered. But an
upper class of crooks, gentlemen
raffles in type, spies, lady informers
and criminals OF that tlk, finding
Europe getting too hot for their op-
erations and knowing that war ac-
tivity was bringing large sums of
money to America, formed a cross
current which nearly equalized the
tide which went from America to
Europe.
Hundreds of these persons, mostly
of the class known to fiction writers
as Society Crooks. came to the
tions here.
Crooks and Spies FIourished
They found plenty of room for
their talents. There we're many
newly rich war rnunition manufac-
turers and, generally, there was the
sort of feYerish, prosperous activity
which makes good hunting for the
accomplished crook. The spy busi-
ness, of course, never was better
anywhere in the world.
The United States, according to
the police officials, traded relative-
ly low class of criminals for rela-
lively high class. The imported var
iety was not so numerous but prob
ably more dangerous than the class
exported.
What such a police bureau of
worldwide investigation as that pro-
posed by Senator Calder would do
would be to have at all times such a
mass of information concerning the
identity. whereabouts and move
ments Of criminals that no such
general influx could take place
without practically every crook be-
ing spotted and watched in such a
manner that he would be caught
very early in the game. General mi
grations would be discouraged.
| Such a bureau doubtless would be
welcomed by the existing police bu-
reaus of other countries. There is
! now a measure of cooperation ex-
i listing among the chiefs of police and
their staffs in all principal cities OF
the world, but a national bureau
charged especially with such work
doubtless would enhance the eff
cacy of this Cooperation and give
not only American officials but those
Of other countries better informa-
ton.
The plan would include use Of ra-
dio communication on scale which
would be calculated to defy the clev-
crest criminal. With a reserved
wave band for criminal information
use, the national bureau could
broadcast instructions and warnings
which would instantly have police
officials all over the world on the
alert.
Police work has broadened rotably
In the last few years. Extradition
treaties now exist among all nations
of any consequence. The last to be
brought into the list of countries
from which criminals can be extra.
dited were the Central American re-
publics. For many years criminals
who made good their escape from
| England, France, the United States
or other countries and could make
their way to Central American re-
public could rest secure. for no ex.
tradition procedure could bring them
| to home Justice.
Tbs eourse of the psoposed lAsts