Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07
Mitchell and Capper Base
Radio Forum Addresses
on Hoover Policies.
Continued From First page.)

ment we seek must be gained by steady
earnest, and persistent effort over weeks
months, and even years, so that the i'm
provement may be fundamental and
lasting.
This has been said before, but ID
avoid misunderstanding it VIII bear
repetition. One other general obser-
walton may be made. Detection and
punishment of crime must be effected
by strictly lawful methods, Nothing
has a greater tendency to beget law
lessness than lawless methods Of law
enforcement. The greater the dificul-
ties of detecting and Furnishing crime,
the greater the temptation to place q
strained construction on statutes to
supply what may be thought to be
more efficient means OF enforcing law
The statutory and constitutional rights
of all persons must be regarded, and
their violation, inadyertent or other
wise, is to be avoided.
State Powers Cited.
Now how are we to go about this
task for more efficient organization
and what tools have we to work with,
and what can we accomplish In the
near future? Under our dual system OF
government, large share Of power
and. duty to prevent and punish crime
rests with the States. The Federal
Government has limited field to work
in, and you are told that the Depart
ment of Justice of the United States
working in that field, has charge of
the enforcement of Federal law. Here
IN Washington are the departments
headquarters, but those Of us here are
the staff officers.
With minor exceptions, the men who
detect crimes, who obtain evidence of
crimes, who cause criminals to be in
dicted, tried and punished, are the men
in the field. In each State are United
States attorneys and their assistants.
They are the men on the firing line.
We in Washington may plan and organ
ize, but they are actually the men be-
hind the guns, and it is of vital irnpor.
lance that they shall be competent,
earnest and efficient, and that they
shall be supplied with all that they rea-
sonably require to properly perform
their duties.
With these things in mind, we now
are reviewing the field organization of
the department with the purpose of i'm
| proving the personnel and wedding out
inefaciency and ineffectiveness, and we
shall direct our efforts, without ceasing,
to bring about the selection and reten-
ton OF proper men for these posts. We
are also reviewing the conditions
throughout the country to ascertain
where and to what extent the forces
available to the United States ATTORNEYS
to assist them In their work are made
quate, with view to providing an in
crease In the personnel wherever it may
be necessary.
Method Of Procedure Outlined.
The district attorneys and their As-
sistants institute prosecutions and try
the cases, but they must have assistance
In the detection of crime and the dis
covery of evidence.
There are number Of agencies of
the Federal Government engaged In the
detection Of offenses against Federal
statutes.
Customs officers operating under the
Treasury Department detect crimes
against the customs laws; postal In
Spectors under the Post once Depart
ment obtain evidence of offenses
against the postal laws; another force
under the Treasury is engaged In de.
tecting offenses against the Harrison
anti-narcotic statutes; still another or
ganization deals with offenses against
Tic CukIC1lCy, SUCH ~ COutltcTIG1bItS,
the prohibition unit In the Treasury
Department is engaged, among other
things, in detecting offenSes against the
national prohibition act and presenting
evidence thereof to the United States
attorneys.
In the Department Of Justice we now
have what is called the Bureau Of In
vestigation. with agents throughout the
United States who investigate viola
tons Of very large number of Fed
eral statutes, not including prohibition,
narcotics and customs.
Proposed Transfer Is Explained.
The only immediate change that Is
contemplated in this system IS the
transfer Of the prohibition unit from
the Treasury Department to the De-
partment Of Justice. This has been
suggested In order that those engaged
In the discovery Of violations Of the ma
tional prohibition act and in the col
lection OF evidence of offenses against
that act shall work in closer co-opera-
ton with the district attorneys and
their assistants, who are engaged In the
prosecution of those offenseS. This
department now is engaged in planning
@0A eAAAo ACOA S0AkA6atx0A Will LIE 4uG&
that Congress may see at to authorize
1t. We do not contemplate merging
the Bureau Of Investigation with the
prohibition unit. They operate In diff
ferent fields.
Another opportunity to strengthen
the system for enforcement of
criminal laws Is in the improvement Of
the procedure in the Federal courts.
That is matter to be considered by
the National Commission to be appoint
ed by the President to consider our
methods Of law enforcement. It is hoped
that suggestions will result for simpii-
flying procedure, preventing delay, re-
moving congestion in the courts. and
otherwise expediting the conduct Of
cases.
Many Suggestions Made.
Many suggestions have been made.
such as the one that additional inferior
Federal tribunals ancillary to the pres-
ent courts, be established. Whatever
steps along these lines affecting the
judicial system are to be taken probably
will await the report of this commits
sion. Meanwhile, so far as we can see
now, our efforts will be in the direction
have stated, toward steady improve
ment In the personnel and efficiency
Of those engaged In the detection and
prosecution Of offenses against the Fed
eral statutes.
What I have said relates to all acts
of Congress, and to all offenses against
our Federal statutes, and Is not limited
to the National prohibition act,
although the conditions surrounding en-
forcement Of that statute have large
place IN any scheme OF improvement.
AS to the national prohibition act
and the eighteenth amendment, have
some comments TO make. Most crimes
are committed to obtain money. Bank
robheries, postal frauds, counterfeiting.
frauds against the Government, vio-
lations Of the anti-narcotic State and