Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-18
Gathering the Harvest.

Attorney General MlGcIleh SpIedo pSAOAS
the American people in his Star Radio
Forum address of Saturday evening.
An optimist might find some degree of
encouragement in the description OF
rninistration of justice in the Federal
Courts; in the accomplishments toward
reorganization of the Federal prison
service; in the warfare waged by the
Federal Government against organized
violation of Federgl laws. But these
represent merely the Federal Govern
ment's own efforts to cope with the
problem of law violation. The problem
itself is the thing.
Attorney General Mitchell suggested
some of the causes for increased Fed
eral activity in law enforcement, such
as the Harrison anti-narcotic act, the
Dyer act against the interstate transpor-
tation of stolen automobiles, the Mann
act and the prohibition act. These nat
urally have increased the avenues
through which the Federal Government
has been brought into the field Of Grim
inal law enforcement. But with the
widening of the field there has been an
accompanying increase n the crop. And
what a crop! In 1870 the population
of the United States was, in round num-
bers, 100000 and the United States
In that year started 5000 criminal pros
ecutions In 1890 the population was
122,000,000 and the United States start
ed $1,000 criminal prosecutions. In
1910 the number of persons sent to
prison per million Of population was
ia In 1920 the figure had increased
to rs, 1926 to 40 and in 1929 to So.
In 1880, "as a result of our activity In
law enforcement" the number jumped
to 80. Between 1929 and 1880 new eff
means to enforce the law and bring sure
and quick convictions were sought, and
with success, by the Federal Govern
ment. What was the result? In 1929
the number of Federal prisoners was
1850. In 1880 the number of Federal
prisoners was 24,524. We demand the
enforcement of the laws, a judicial sys-
tenn that will discourage delays and
bring about quick trial and disposal of
criminal cases. And when we get them
the result is to jam the Federal prisons,
build new ones and establish prison
camps.
Yet the business of dealing with
organized crime is largely local prob
LEM in which the Federal Government
cannot interest itself. Criminal gangs
commit ten violations of State law to
every single violation of Federal law,
and while the statistics relating to the
ratio between violations of State and
Federal laws as a whole are not given
presumption that gangdom's law viola
tons are representative of all law
violation. The law enforcement ma
chinery of the majority of the States,
their police forces and their courts, are
far below the standard Of comparable
Federal agencies, and in many instances
are entangled with graft and corruption
relatively unknown to the Federal
service.
Because We, as people, have not
been enforcing the law, enc of the
cure-alls advanced for crime has been
strict law enforcement. When we enact
more laws and improve cur machinery
through the conscientious efforts Of
sincere public servants. the results take
form In a tremendously increased
prison population. What will be the
result when public sentiment brings
about a reform in law administration
for the States comparable to that
sought by the Federal Government? Is
it to be merely a prison building pro-
gram?
One ray Of comfort lies in the fact
that the various agencies undertaking
to study crime and law enforcement are
beginning TO place as much emphasis
upon the necessity Of getting at the
root Of law violation as in pruning the
ofshoots. More intelligent thought is
directed toward the prevention of
crime, along with the punishment for
crime. At one stage Of its progress,
civilization sought to curb all forms Of
crime by the gallows and the chopping
block The day viii come when crowded
miles Of cell blocks also viii be regarded
as archaic relies Of a long and pain
ful struggle.