Evening star., 1932-04-12

district attorneys story" according to
the Chicago Daily News, "iS made up
of incidents showing that assassination
has been the common fate of witnesses
who dared supply evidence ininaical to
gangdom. Fourteen witnesses. says Mr..
Johnson, we're murdered to prevent a
single prosecution. Deadly threats
pursued any one suspected Of aiding
the cause of justice against gangster.
Thus 1t was made possible for Capone.
through his brutal SubSchiefS and his
army of killers, to rule an empire Of
fear Money lavishly expended to pro-
tect illegal but immensely profitable
privileges gave immense power into
ruthless hands. The trial and convic-
ton of Capone shed honor upon Judge
Wilkerson, District Attorney johnson
and the faithful Government investiga-
tors. some of whom risked their lives
many times in their search for evi-
dence. There could be no better
chronicler of the events which led up
to the inSolent Capone's delivery into
the hands of justice than the modest
but indomitable district attorney"
"The informal agreement to have
the defendant plead guilty does not dis
credit his honor, although it places his
conduct in the Capone case in an en-
tirely new light" says the Springfield,
Mass, Republican. AS to the judges
fitness for promotion, the Republican
points out that his extreme course as
an injunction judge in labor troubles,
originally inspired by Attorney General
Daugherty was instrumental in forcing
the recent passage by the Senate of the
anti-injunction and yellow dog con-
tract BILL" and finds it worth while to
consider the fact that action in this
case would have an effect on the Chi
cago underworld.
1T is true" advises the Milwaukee
Journal that such arrangements are
sometimes made when the prosecution
is not certain of the evidence. We do
not say that on this point Judge VIII
kerson's course differs from judicial
practice that has been used. But the
bearing on his case is this: The rest Of
Judge Wilkerson's record does not COM
mend him. Before appointment he was
in politics. And he started out on the
bench on a course that to all appear
ances made him a political judge. He
put the stamp of his Office on the out
rageouS Daugherty injunction in the
railroad Shopmens strike. And he con-
sented to other injunctionS that op-
pressed labor The appointment to a
higher court was to be Judge Wilker-
sons reward for the single outstanding
thing that he did. And now We find
that he doesn't deserve any credit for
that. Gangland simply tried to run
away with his court and he had to act.
Take the Capone conviction away from
his record and what is there left to pro-
mote him?"
1T is bit of a puzzle why the ar
rangement was any more iniquitous
when it became public than it would
have been had it remained secret" says
the Duluth Herald, while the Provi-
dence Journal holds that "it exhibits
arrogant criminals in the role of social
and political dictators." The Goshen
News-Times believes that the incident
casts a shadow on the reputation for
implacable war against the gang ele-
ment which he has so long held" The
San Francisco Chronicle finds in the
Chicago situation appalling conditions
of graft, blackmail and the control of
political machinery and elections. all
enforced by terrorism and murder"