Evening star., 1931-06-19
CaPone Viewed as Helpless
In Face of Federal Action

Action against Al Capone by the Fed
eral Government is dramatic in its eff
feet on the people of the United States,
and public expressions uphold the
theory that in spite of local conditions
the power of the central Government is
sufficient to cope with organized crime.
1T should help to rub off some of
the glamour with which publicity has
daubed that cold-eyed superbandit, :"
asserts the Chicago Daily News, ex-
pressing satisfaction at the fate of "the
worlds premier hoodluIn." The DeS
Moines Tribune-Capital sees "indica-
tions that the cloSe-knit underworld or
ganization Of the Chicago supercrim-
inal is beginning to disintegrate,' and
holds that "he needs to be shown up in
his real character as an anti-Social
prowler, working in the dark" The
Hartford Daily Times states that "ad-
missions frequently made by the gang
ster reveal him as probably the least
desirable of all our undesirables."
when it comes to big Shots the
biggest of all is Uncle SAM" remarks
the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, observing
that lin many instances the United
States Government may appear pom
derous and slow, but once it undertakes
to demonstrate its authority against
some implied challenger, there never is
question of the outcome" The
Wichita Beacon gives assurance that
there will be no nationwide protest"
over the punishment of the gangSter,
and the Oakland Tribune points out
that "defying Chicago's ordinances, and
getting away with his business there,
may be something different from defy
ing Uncle SAM"
"These developments" according to
the Danville Bee, 'have been enough to
/ impress the whole tribe with the
thought that gangsters' supremacy and
wholesale law violation, hitherto made
possible by the vast monetary resources
at their command, can be successfully
challenged when legal authority has the
courage to proceed" The Harrisburg
Telegraph finds satisfaction in the fact
that Chicago is finally to be freed
from the worst menace that can come
to any city" and declares that "it is a
heartening occurrence and notification
to one and all that the day of the
racketeer is nearing its end
X x **
'In the Federal courts there is a diff
ferent atmosphere" remarks the Rich
mond News Leader, with the suggestion
that United States marshalS and pro-
hibition operatives look to Washington
for the retention of their jobs, not to
the City Hail." The Green Bay Press
Gazette ayers that "Capone and his
lieutenants have discovered that there
is one establishment they can neither
wheedle nor corrupt---that Of the Fed
eral Government"
WELL there isn't much to be said"
according to the Little Rock Arkansas
Democrat, "save that it's lovely state
of affairs in the land, when a State is
helpless before tle power of an indi-
vidual gangster. and the only way he
can be landed in jail where he belongs
is through intervention Of the United
States Government"
'Now. at long last" comments the
Omaha World Herald, 'it is not the
City of Chicago, not the State of Illi-
nois, that comes forward to defend So
ciety and enforce law. The Federal
Government moves in, under authority
of the VolsJead act, because local self
government, because the sovereign State,
has proved itself supine and helpless.
It is not a pretty picture to contem-
plate. It affords no pleasure to those
of us who have contended that the
American people are competent and
are entitled to govern themselves. in
their own States and in their own
communities, and who have resented
the steady entertainments of Federal
power. There is no very great differ
ence between the Government at
washington taking over police power in
Chicago and the assembling of Fed
eral troops In Chicago to preserve
order"
"The experience is bound to retire
Capone from the activities that have
won him wealth, power and immunity" I"
in the opinion of the Glendale News
Press, while the Charlotte Observer be-
lieves that the new mayor Of Chicago
paved the way for the change in con-
elitions, because his hands are clean,
and he has been uninf1uenced by gang
star. raft - Tina Llanr.in Gfnr nkafaa. IlIk