Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26
HOOVER TOLAUNCH
NEW COMMISSION
Enforcement Drive to Get
Start This Week at White
House Luncheon.
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

President Hoover faces the RESPONSE
blity this week of meeting with the 10
men and one woman he has appointed
to the Law Enforcement Commission
and starting them off on an undertake
ing which is generally conceded to be
the most stupendous of its kind ever
attempted in the history OF this country
The members of this important body
will be the Presidents guests at lunch
con at the White House Tuesday after
noon, and Immediately afterward he
and these guests will go to the cabinet
room IN the executive once. where Mr.
Hoover will outline his ideas regarding
the creation Of this commission and will
indicate his own ideas relative to the
nature and scope Of the work to be
done by the commission.
At this session. no doubt Immediately
after the President has expressed him
self. the commission will formally or
Kani5e and enter upon preliminary
discussion Of the task confronting it.
George w. Wickersham of New York,
Attorney General in President Tafts
administration and president of the
American Law Institute, has been des-
ignated as chairman by President Hoo
yer. The members of the commission
will select the vice chairman and other
officers and will adopt the program it
will follow in making the investigation
desired by the President,
Baker to Be Vice President.
The general impression is that New
ton D. Baker Of Ohio, who was Secre-
tary OF War during President Wilson'S
administration and has been very &C
tive In recent years In the study of
crime with the view to bringing about
corrective measures. will be elected
vice chairman. While Mr. Hoover will
leave this choice entirely with the
members of the commission, it is au-
thoritatively known that he would like
to see Mr.. Baker serve In this capacity.
1t is not known yet just how the
commission will proceed after its meet
ing at the White House Tuesday. There
is a feeling that the members may re-
main in Washington for several days
at least to complete the preliminary
work incident to mapping out its pro-
gram. Just where these meetings will
be held has not been determined. Just
how the commission will proceed in its
work following it's organizing and its
preliminary meetings Is now only a
matter of conjecture.
President Hoover has kept to himself
what ideas he may have in this connec-
ton. In response to inquiries regarding
this the President said few days ago
that this would be discussed and prob
ably settled at the initial meeting of
the commission Tuesday. The President
has made it quite clear. however. that
this commission has been appointed
to md out what is wrong with the
whole structure Of American juris-
prudence, and not merely for the pur-
pose OF correcting the faults and evils
associated with the enforcement Of the
n H &HA@s Nt@ kHAk
hibition enforcement Is 10 be only a
part Of the study to be made by this
commission.
Result Of Careful Study.
Probably no one appreciates more
fully the vital Importance Of the In
vestigation to be made by this COM
mission. This step was not taken by
him rs the result Of q sudden impulse.
becoming President he was impressed
with the need for stringent remedies
IN the enforcement of the laws Of the
land. In his inaugural address he
definitely revealed his ideas regarding
q commission TO study the situation,
and after q most careful study Of the
subject. and with the most painstaking
care, he appointed the members Of this
commission less than two weeks ago.
Inc FTcAoent has every TeoooA W
feel that the work of this commission
will be one Of the outstanding accom-
plishmentS Of his administration; that
the elimination of its investigation
may become historic in the annals Of
the Government Because Of all this
and his honest desire to see law en-
forcement in this country strengthened,
he exercised such great care and
patience IN his selection Of the person
mel Of the commission. Since the pub
lication Of the personnel the President
has received assurances which have
caused him to feel that he had cause
10 be satisfied. Judging from the IA
vorabie reaction throughout the coun-
try to the personnel Of the commits
sion. the so-called drys and vets and
all satisfied.