Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-28
Cites Five Recommendations,
Involving Prohibition, Court
Congestion, Bargain Days
and Federal Prisons.
SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS
DECLARED NOW MADE
Districts Lack of Dry Law En-
forcement Facilities Cited as
Major Administrative Recon-
mendation in Message Urging
of President.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Hoover today strongly
urged Congress to act on his
twice-transmitted recommended
tions for more effective criminal
law enforcement before the pres
ent session adjourns.
In a special message, the Presi-
dent cited five of the recommen-
dations made to the special and
regular sessions of Congress
which he said must be carried out
"if I am to perform the high duty
which falls upon the executive OF
enforcement of the Federal laws
The text of the Presidents mes
sage follows:
in my message Of June 6 and
December 3, 1929, I placed before
Congress the urgency OF certain
improvements necessary to effec-
tive criminal law enforcement.
Substantial progress has been made
upon some of the measures proposed
yet we are nearing the end of the pres
ent session, and / cannot too strongly
urge the necessity of action upon al
these recommendations before adjourn
ment.
1.-THE most important recommended
tions made by me were five in number:
a. There should be transfer of the
functions of detection and prosecution
of prohibition cases from the Treasury
Department to the Department OF JUS
tice and thus an ending OF divided re-
sponsibility and effort.
IAN act providing for this transfer
was passed by the House of Representa-
tives and has now been reported 10 the
Senate by its judiciary committee.
= % There must be relief AFFORDED
from congestion in the courts. While
this congestion is evidenced by the
docketS in many courts, its full I'M
plications are not shown by them.
Hits at Bargain Days"
"The so-called bargain days, wher
light fines are imposed as the result o.
pleas of guilty, clear the docket, bu
the result distinctly undermines respect
for law.
mo conclusion appears to have beer
reached as to the method OF accom-
plishing this, either by the judiciary
committee of the Senate or by the
judiciary committee of the House o.
Representatives.
''3. There must be extension of Fed
eral prisons with more adequate parole
system and other modern treatment O.
prisoners. We have already 1889
prisoners in Federal establishments
built for 6,946.
1.-THE number of Federal prisoners II
Federal and State institutions increased
6,277 in the nine months from June 80
1929, to April l, 1880.
'"The Attorney General has stated
that we cannot hope to enforce the
laws unless we can have some point OF
reception for convicted persons. The
overcrowding Of the prisons themselves
is inhumane and accentuates crimina
tendencies.
Bills providing for this relief were
passed by the House and are now,
understand. in course of being reported
to the Senate by the judiciary commit
tee.
"A. We are in need of vigorous reor
ganiZation of the border patrol in ordel
to consolidate various agencies so al
effectually to prevent illegal entry O
both aliens and goods. Proposals t.
bring about such reorganization arr
before the committees of Congress.
"5. The District of Columbia is with
out an adequate prohibition enforce
n1ent law. A bill for that purpose ha
been introduced and hearings have beer
held before the Senate District com
mittee. 1t should contain the safe
guards recommended by the Attorne!
General.
eve have within the limits of existin
legislation improved the personnel ant
greatly increased the efficiency of tn
existing Federal machinery in crin1ina
law enforcement during the past year
1.-THE above reforms are necessary
however if I am to perform the higl
duty which falls upon the Executive &
enforcement of the Federal laws.
Not All Crime Is wet"
''While a considerable part of thi
condition arises from the laws relattn
to Intoxicating liquors, yet the law
relating to narcotics, automobile thefts
ct cetera, which have been enacted b
the Congress during recent years, ais
contribute TO create the present condi
tions. This is we'll indicated by the fac
that less than one-third of Fedora
prisoners are due to prohibition.
"Our obedience to law, our law en-
forcement and judicial organization, o
judicial procedure, our care and meth
DDS of handling prisoners, in relation
to not only Federal Government bu
also to the State and municipal gov
ernments, are far from the standard
that must be secured. These proposals
while they do not comprehend tn
whole which remains to be done Il
the Nation, are step toward liftin
the Federal standards, which must hav
a general beneficial influence.
"(Signed) HERBERT HOOVER"