New Britain herald., 1927-12-05
SARGENT EXPOSES
 QUEER LAW KINKS
Attorney General Moves to
 "Sped Up" Justice

Washington, Dec. GP) - Some dueer kinks in the laws were re- vealed today in the annual report of Attorney General Sargent, who sub mitted numerous recommendations Tor speeding up justice and relieving the clogged calendars in federal courts.
 The attorney general pointed out that while it was Q federal offense to assault, beat or wound q United states officer, it was not federal offense to kill him, and the depart ment of justice wants this situation corrected.
 Among recommendations com tained in the report was one that the law be amended to permit speedy removal from one district 10 another of persons indicted for federal crime. Another would authorize the pres ence of a stenographer before grand iuries and still another would in- crease the number of federal judges.
 In her report on prohibition en- forcement, Mrs. Mabel Walker VII lebrandt, assistant attorney general, said that approximately six million dollars in federal judgments. fines and penalties were imposed during the year and there was "a definite increase in the percentage Of fines collected"
 The records showed q very sub- stantial increase in civil court busl- ness and a noticeable decrease in criminal business under the national prohibition act, she said. The az gregate amount Of judgments in favor of the United States was S@52,- O97 or s34,612 more than the year before, while criminal prosecutions showed penalties Of s5,G4G,709 or about :1,s47.S4S less than the pre- Vious year.
 Trial. by jury as well as pleas Of guilty fell off during the year while the number Of prosecutions insti- tuted and later dismissed remained about the same.
 Rum runners, the assistant attor- ney general said had changed their chief base from Canada because of the new Canadian regulations and on the east coast were conducting extensive operations from the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon and on the west coast they are experimenting with the Society Islands as base.
 The main source Of smuggled liquor. was by means Of small. speedy American craft that operated from foreign ships and oceanic bases and were able to eludc govern ment craft by their speed. During the year 320 American rum running vessels were seized, compared with 33o for last year.
 J. Edgar Hoover director Of the bureau of investigation, the police section of the department, reported that his bureau had procured dur ing the year ten life sentences. other sentences aggregating T.090 years, fines totaling s1,l4a,045 and recov- cred property valued at ss,014AS3. His bureau operated on an expense of s2,n12,sGo. the smallest since 1928.
 Attorney General Sargent, in speaking Of the cumbersome ma chinery which is set up to obtain the presence of an indicted person be fore the court of Jurisdiction, recom- mended that legislation be enacted that would allow criminal warrants from any federal court based on indictments to be serviceabe in any place within United States territory. The arrested person would be enti- tled to bail in the district where arrested.
 Mir. Sargent concurred in the rec concentrations Of senior circuit judges for additional federal judges 10 relieve the congested courts and urged congress to allow additional district judges for the southern and eastern districts Of New York, the southern district Of Iowa and a judge for the second circuit, which