Evening star., 1930-11-30


writer of detective stories. "No
criminal can be SO shrewd that
shrewdness can't solve his crime.
"a man who commits a crime has to create
a perfect piece of work in order that no traces
will be left behind to identify him. Now 1t Is
much easier for critic to come along and pick
flaws in a piece of work than It is for the crim-
inal to create something that is perfect As
long as man Is shrewd enough and clever
enough he can find flaws.
I'VE have q large number of unsolved mur-
ders in which the guilty persons have not been
discovered. This in way Is reflection ON
our police and detective system. More criminal
mysteries would be unraveled if we had de-
tectives who were more scientifically trained for
their work. We talk q good deal Of our EN-.
cheney, yet in few countries Is the work o.
criminal investigation so haphazard as In
America.
"One Of the reasons for this condition Is that
we do not attach any distinction to the work.
In Europe criminal investigation is regarded on
a par with other sciences, and those In the f1eld
are held in great esteem by the public. They
receive honors and titles as though they were
members of the diplomatic service. A man who
wants to become criminal investigator has TO
devote many years of study to the work, just
as he would to any other career. Several OF the
large universities have a chair of criminology
and the instructors are those who have devoted
their lives to the subject and who have had
practical experience in every branch Of the
work. That is why Europe has the most highly
trained and efficient criminal investigators In
the world and has made valuable contributions
to the science of criminology.
0 A USTRIA, particularly, leads this field. IT
not only has very efficient force that Is
trained to follow up every minute Clue, but it
works together with stan of experts In which
each member is skilled in some special branch
of crime They use every resource that science
has to offer. The government realizes that this
work is of the highest importance to the
country, and no expense or effort is spared TO
perfect the science of criminal investigation.
"The registration system that prevails In
Europe is another aid in its detection work
Every one must be registered with the police
authorities. In this way they can keep track
of n persons movements and it is dif1cult for
q criminal to escape. OF course such q system
could not be possible In America because there
is TOO much changing about here. People are
constantly moving. Few remain in the same
district very long. In Europe people viii live O
lifetime in one place, that it is comparatively
easy for the policeman to know every one In his
district and to keep an eye on suspicious out
Siders.
But the lack of registration system would
not handicap America so much in detection
work If the police departments were wen organ
lied throughout the country and IL they were
completely divorced from politics chief OF
police no sooner gets to know his work than
some one else Is appointed to take his place.
With little prestige attached to the field and
with little sl1ance for a man to make any great
progress in it persons Of the highest mental
gifts are not naturally frequently attracted to
the profession. And yet since the criminal Is
becoming increasingly accomplished in his work
and has so many subtle weapons to aid him, it
is important that we have men of good inteld-
gence azd expert training If we are to track him
down.
"It doesn't mean he need be Philo Vance.
though" smiled the creator of that famous
sleuth. THAT would De too much to expect Of
any human being"
Seated In his large library, surrounded by
books on every conceivable subject, with an
entire section devoted 10 criminology, Van Dine
reminded one of the cultured, artistic Philo
Vance himself. He has a sensitive face and
wears Van Dyke beard. The seriousness and
Suavity Of his manner are Offset by merry blue
eyes and a quick ready laugh.
Dressed In light blue house-robe and smok-
ing a cigarette from an ivory holder, he pre-
sented the one gay note In the most somber.
looking house. 1t has the dark, weird appear
ance Of q place that could easily figure in one
Of his famous Murder Case" books. From the
heavy iron entrance door, brought from an Old
chateau I'm Italy, through dimly lighted room
furnished In deep red, up winding staircase TO