Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
CRIMINAL RECORDS
LAW HELD NEEDED
Advantage Of Federal Bureau
Cited by Director of Com
mittee on Uniformity.

Legislation establishing at the De-
partment Of Justice a general clear
ing house for information concerning
crime and criminals, such as finger
prints, photographs, measurements and
other facts for use of police agencies
In Identifying and capturing law break
ers, probably will be enacted at the cur
rent session Of Congress. During the
past week the House passed q measure
known as the "fingerprint BILL" intro.
duced by Representative George S.
Graham OF Philadelphia, chairman Of
the judiciary committee.
It creates under the Jurisdiction Of
the Department Of Justice "a division of
the Bureau of Information, to be known
as the Division of Identification and
Information, which Is vested with the
duty "of acquiring, collecting, classify
ing and preserving criminal identifica-
ton records and the exchanging Of
said criminal Identification records with
duly authorized oficials of Government
agencies. Of States, cities and penal in
situations"
The bin passed the House by unan-
imous vote and its supporters expect
to have it brought before the Senate
IN the near future. 1t was prepared by
the International Association of Chiefs
of Police and its enactment was recon-
mended by Attorney General Mitchell
IN MS annual report.
Senate Action Urged.
A statement urging action on the
proposed legislation was flled syester-
day with the Senate judiciary commit
tee, OF which body Senator George w.
Norris Of Nebraska is chairman, by
Bruce Smith, director of the committee
on uniform crime records, a branch
of the International Association CT
Chiefs of Police, with headquarters in
New York City.
The proposed central bureau for
criminal Identification and information,
viii be necessary If law enforcement
bodies are to be enabled to cope with
crime" Mr.. Smith said. The surest
way to wipe out the criminal Is swift
apprehension and certain puniShment.i
The saying is commonplace enough TO
be trite. Yet, the problem Of appre-
hending criminals grows more compli-
Gated and difficult to solve daily.
The astoniShingly rapid improve
ment in means of transportation, such
as development and widespread use Of
the airplane, and the constantly ex-
panding netw0rklof smooth highways
over which the. automobile can speed
at a bewtlderi1g pace, sinplifes ire
menoouSly the escape of criminals A
lew years ago reports Of crime could
reach the police hours after its COM
mission and they would be certain their
quarry was not far away.
Today start of q few minutes
often gives the criminal a lead which
makes the chase almost hopeless task.
Give the criminal time to cross State
lines and the authorities Immediately
are confronted by a wall of conflicting
jurisdictions, the necessity of obtain.
ing extradition papers and other similar
problems OF which the average citizen
knows little. To combat the advantages
which modern inventions and develop-
mentS provide the criminal the police
must make use of every method winch
science can devise.
Identification DificuIt.
"One of the most intricate problems
they are-called upon to solve Is kenti-
dcation of the criminal. Transmission
and availability Of finger prints. photos
graphs and other means Of identi1ca-
ton is OF the highest Importance.
Nowhere IN the United States IS there
a central bureau. Of crime statistics
In these days of powerful groups Of
so-called 'racketeers,' who intimidate
high ofdcials and extort millions of
dollars annually from business men.
when the problem of the masked bandit
and other forms of lawlesSness Is fore
most In the minds Of law enforcement
authorities, much is heard of co-opera-
ton and coordination on the part of
public agencies as combative meas
ure. That the United States is faced
with serious crime conditions is APP
parent. But what has been done to-
ward bringing about the desired CO.
operation Of the forces opposed to law
lessneSs?
"a notable case which demonstrates
the value OF the finger print was that
of a bank robbery in Colorado town