Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-23

UEtcte sam IS our 10 geE the money!
racket kings and Federal sIeuths are
making drive against the giIded halls
of chance that thrive IN most big cities.
vded the tool for the original racket, the father
OF all rackets, Is much mistaken; they were
there, for the most part, when prohibition ap-
peared ON our statutes!"
AS q matter Of fact the first racket known
TO have operated In this country was an arti-
choke racket worked in New York City by q
little Italian who demanded tribute from those
of his nationality for every artichoke sold in
his ''district"-15 cents plant.
mo-" continued Mr.. Mitchell, 'rackets are
much older Institution than prohibition, not an
outgrowth Of its violation. and with the excep-
ton of prosecuting the Bookkeeping racket, the
Federal Government can act only as an auxili-
AIRY aid In stamping them out.
1.-THE frequent demands Of well meaning citi.
zens that the Federal Government take firm
hold Of local crime situations present imagined
difaculties for us. The fact that criminal gangs
commit 10 violations of State law to one vi0-
lation Of Federal statute definitely places the
responsibility with the States. Nevertheless,
this department is going q considerable way
to help break down these criminal organic
cations.
ION the foundation Of cases made by efncient
work Of special agents of the Treasury Depart
ment, O number of notorious gangsters recently
have been sentenced to the Federal peniten-
taries, and we are not through yet. By CONSUL
tation with the judges and cooperation from
the local bar and increased activity on the
part OF the district attorneys ofaces we should
succeed in q reasonable time. without funda-
MENTAL changes in the methods Of administra-
ton Of criminal justice, in removing delay In
criminal trials and opening the way for prompt
disposition Of private litigation"
CPEAKING Of increasing the efficiency Of NV
- enforcement, the Attorney General said:
I'VE realize that much wasted effort results
from the congeSted conditions in Federal courts
in some of the important metropolitan districts
This has demanded attention There can be
no efficiency in law enforcement where there
Ii delay In prosecution. We found that In
many districts the offices Of the United states
attorney, United States marshals and clerks OF
court were undermined and underpaid. These
forces have been strengthened and stimulated
to further effort.
mo doubt this Nations methods Of enforcing
criminal justice are open to improvement and
it Is hoped that research commissions working
to that end win devise improvement in prac-
tice and procedure. but progress In that direc-
ton is slow and the big factor in dealing with
criminal cases in the courts Is that Of per-
sonnet"
Discussing the problem Of the juvenile de-
linquent, recognized as q fertile field for the
sowing Of gangster principles and problem in
which the entire Nation Is vitality interested,
the Attorney General said that beyond estab-
fishing q hospital for defective delinquents and
lending support in that direction, the Federal
Government has kept to the policy Of allow
ing each community to deal with It's particular
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