Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17
GANG REVENUE FROM RUM
HELD SMALL BY MITCHELL
Cites Income Tax Prosecutions as Basis
for Statement in National Radio
Forum Address.

work with, and no matter how perfect
the system may be. II the officers are
delinquent and public sentiment Is not
aroused. delay and ineficiency result.
d. C. Supreme Court Jam.
To illustrate what may be done In
this way, two years ago the Supreme
Court of the District Of Columbia, which
is a trial court, was q year and q half
behind in disposing of It's criminal busi-
ness. Two additional judges have been
provided by law, but without further
legislation or fundamental changes n
procedure, the court, working in Coop
Grafton with a committee of the bar,
and with increased activity in the Dis
trict attorneys ONCE. and conferences
with ofiicials of this department super
vising the work. has brought its Grim
inal docket up to date. Is able to try
every criminal case within few weeks
after it Is begun. has disposed of ali
pending abatement cases under the ma
tional prohibition act. and in another
year should be able to make its civil
docket current
These methods will be urged in other
districts where congestion exists. Dur
ing the next three months oficials Of
this department will visit those Federal
districts in which serious congestion is
found. and by consultation with the
judges and cooperation from the local
bar and increased activity on the part
of district attorneys offices, without
fundamental changes in the methods
OF administration of criminal justice,
We should succeed, in a reasonable
time, in removing delay in criminal
trials. and opening the way for prompt
disposition OF private litigation.
3. Another exceptional task for the
department has been the transfer from
the Treasury to the Department Of jus
tice Of the prohibition unit. having
charge Of the detection and prosecution
OF offenseS under the national prohibi-
ton act. That transfer was made on
July l, 1880. The Prohibition Bureau
has now been in this department for
10 months. 1t has been considerably
recognized, and an experienced lawyer
and prosecutor with high professional
standards has been placed at the head
Of it. His work is being done with sim
cerity and earnestneSs. well organ
lied force has been established for the
training Of prohibition agents in proper
and intelligent methods.
Dry Enforcement Policy.
When the eighteenth amendment was
adopted 1t was not intended that the
Federal Government should undertake
the whole task OF enforcement. The
American people did not plan and would
not tolerate the organization Of a Fed
eral police force adequate to locally po-
lice the entire country in an attempt to
prevent every variety OF violation of
the national prohibition act. The policy
OF the department has been to direct
the activities of the Federal agencies
toward the large commercial violstoFs
leaving to State authorities q large
share Of the enforcement work.
During the last Congress appropria-
tions, were made permitting an increase
OF about $50 In the force Of prohibition
agents. OF these, 100 have already
been engaged and the others will be
taken into service the first Of July I'm
til this force is fully trained and made
use Of, we will not know whether addi-
ttonal Federal forces are required to
perform that share Of the work which
properly belongs to the Federal Gov
eminent.
In connection with the general prob
lem Of law enforcement the extent to
which the Federal Government should
deal with gangsters and racketeers has
been considered. Racketeering prevails
in the larger cities as part of the ac-
tivities Of criminal gangs. In one conf
munity, we know of 4S different kinds
OF rackets. Wherever there is ineffi-
cheney or corruption on the part Of
State authorities, demands are made
on the Federal Government to inter-
vene, and to invoke the income tax
laws, the antitrust laws, the national
prohibition act or what not, to sup.
press organized crime.
Dealing with organized crime A.
largely local problem. These criminal
~wmw i'll =.
to ! violation Of q Federal statute.
. considerable way to help break down
these criminal organizations. On the
foundation Of cases made by ehicient
work of special agents Of the Treasury
Department, a number of notorious
gangsters recently have been sentenced
to the Federal penitentiaries. We are
not through, and there will be others
to 60 the same road but the fact that
these criminal gangs incidentally violate
some Federal statute does not place the
primary duty and responsibility Of pun
isiling them upon the Federal Govern
ment, and until State police and mag
take hold OF this problem, 1t viii not be
solved.
Gangs Not Dependent on Liquor.
The assertion has been made that
the principal source Of gang power Is
the profit derived from Illegal liquor
traffic and that the elimination, by
some means, Of this source of revenue
would put an end to criminal gangs
and racketeertng. In the recent In
come tax prosecutions against q num-
Der OF these organized gangsters, 1t was
developed that on an average not over
20 per cent of their revenue came from
liquor traf1ic, and this has been diniin-
iShing, and II this be an indication
Of general conditions, the removal OF
Illicit liquor trafic as a source Of rev.
enue would not end gangsterism and
racketeering.
In the enforcement of Federal penal
statutes. including the national prolii-
does not intend to rest on its oars.
While substantial progress has been
made in the past two years. our efforts
will be unremitting.
During the next three months regional
conferences attended by assistant at
torneys general will be held with groups
Of United States attorneys and prohibi-
ton administrators to take stock Of
our present situation and complete the
coordination between the prosecuting
attorneys and the Prohibition Bureau
which was the purpose Of the transfer
Of the unit to this department, and in
other respects to continue activity for
effective enforcement of all Federal
criminal laws.
4. Enforcement of the antitrust laws
recently has presented dtfaculties. Be-
cause Of business depression and up-
employment it is q delicate matter to
take, any action which may have a
tendency to unSettle any business or
delay business recovery, but the At
torney General has no authority to re-
frain from enforcement of the anti
trust laws because business is not pros
porous, and we have proceeded with
this work, impressed, however, by the
necessity for using peculiar care to
make no unjustified attacks on any
hilsinegs and tn N raRtilatA nilr actirr,