Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-16
DRY ACT IS WEAK,
W|CKERSHAM SAYS
States Should Bear Part of
Enforcement Burden" U. S.
Governors Are Told.
Continued From First Page)

will, I think, recommend uniform
State law on the subjectfi with volun=
tary administration act in the mean
time.
Another subject we are inquiring
into Is the cost of extra legal protec-
ton against crime, by the police, arm
ored cars, burglary, robbery and theft
Boston, nearly completed, indicates
that the crime in that city actually
has diminished during the past decade.
Legal Blocks Are Discussed.
The fact that that city has a larger
police force in proportion to its popula-
ton than any other city has much to
do with the favorable conditions men
toned, but the challenging fact is in
the greater number of prosecutions
which never came to trial, the number
Of cases settled by pleas Of guilty to 2
lesser offense than charged, the great
delay in bringing cases to trial, the
greater delays in hearing appeals, and
the abuse of excessive bail on appeal.
Justice to be effective should be
speedy. 1t is freely charged that much
of the delay is the result of political
influence with the police, the prosecu-
tors and even the courts. These are
difficult matters to investigate.
But if every arrest had to be imme-
diately recorded in central regiStra-
ton Office and every step thereafter
taken concerning the defendant record
ed in the same way it would be much
more difficult for a proper influence to
thwart the due administration of JUS
tice.
"of course, prohibition enforcement,
being one of the most serious subjects,
will be investigated by our commission.
THE amendment conferS upon the
States concurrent jurisdiction with the
National Government for the enforce
ment of this measure. Thus far the
Federal Government alone has borne
the brunt of the enforcement. That
measure Is written into the Constitution
of the United States. It seems to me
that the governors conference might
well consider approaching the Federal
Government on some feasible proposal
to share the burden of enforcement.
Federal Duties" Outlined.
eff the National Government were to
attend to preventing importation,
manufacture and shipment in interstate
commerce of intoxicants, the States
undertaking internal police regulations
to prevent sale, saloons, speakeasies and
so forth, the national and State laws
might be modified SO as to become
reasonably enforcible and one great
source of demoralizing and pecuniarily
profitable crime removed"
Gov. Roosevelt, speaking on Co
operation Of Governors on Crime Prob
lems," urged the conference to appoint
a permanent committee that would act
as a clearing house" for crime
statistics and penal laws so that one
governor would always know what an
other governors State was doing toward
reducing crime.
Know Nothing Of Crime"
"There is no crime wave" he said
That's startling statement to make
in face of ell the talk that there IS
And 1 say it because I realize thai
there is no one here or anywhere else
who has facts and figures to prove there
is a crime problem. Before we can DC
anything with a problem we must know
all about 1t and we know nothing about
crime in our country because we have
no figures or facts. This lack is the
! stumbling block in crime investigation
| and crime reduction"
Mr.. Roosevelt warned the governor:
against allowing the Federal Govern.
ment to encroach on State rights anc