Evening star., 1932-08-15
ECONOMIES ASKED
Of JUSTICE FORCE
Mitchell Calls for 1881 900
Saving to Avoid Need of
FurIoughs.

Faced with expenditures 1881 900 in
excess of appropriations for this flscal
year at the Department of Justice,
Attorney General Mitchell has ap-
pealed to all officials of the depart
ment to cooperate in a program OF
economies by which he hopes to ABSORB
this big deficit without recourse TO the
administrative furlough.
The program presented Is far-reach-
ing and includes proposed action py
many parts of the department, ootn
here and in the field.
The Attorney General points out that
his department has suffered reduc-
ton in appropriations without a re-
duction in functions and apparently
is loaded with an increasing burden
on account of new laws defining new
offenses against the Government.
First Outlook Gloomy.
So gloomy was the outlook at first,
Il appeared. that unless economies
were applied. each employe in the de-
rartment would have to take an aver
age flrlough time of from so to ~
days without pay.
The Attorney General calls for many
chases of action, including the prose-
cution of cases in state courts lnSteao
of federal courts, wherever possible, the
transfer of funds under the economy
act from one bureau appropriation to
another economy in criminal prose
cl,tions. in the administration OF the
new juvenile delinquent law and the
statute for extra jurors in criminal
cases.
Proposals that the Government should
relax in enforcement of prohibition were
secuted by the Attorney General, who
held such a course ''unthlnkable.
The Department of Justice was one Oh
five departments whose appropriations
received an extra 10 per cent cut IN tne
Senate. The others were the Depart,
ments of State, Commerce, interior ana
Labor.
Stresses Enforcement.
I'VE believe" said the Attorney Gen
eral I'VE have reasonable prospect Oh
discharging our duties during the pres
ent fiscal year without 1mpalrmg tne
service by application of the admins
trative furlough Avoid, however, car
rving the effort at economy to the point
OF actual inefficiency in the defense or
prosecution of Government civil cases
or of allowing guilty persons to escape
justice"
The ATTORNEY General warned that
notwithstanding reduced appropriations
1--WE cannot relax in the enforcement
of the criminal laws Malefactors must
be brought to justice" he declared.
BY putting into effect various possible
economies, the Attorney General said
the department will be able to transfer
$450,000 to other appropriations badly
needing money thus leaving an appar-
ent net deficit of $43l,262 With such
a deficit" he said, '"if the application
of the administrative furlough is to be
avoided. administrative economies must
be rigidly enforced. Careful and pru-
dent administration upcn the part OF
the United States attorneys, marshaS
and clerks of courts will result in saw
ing considerable part of this sum from
the aIlotments for their travelling and
miscellaneous expenses. and 1t Will De
possible to avoid the remainder CT the
apparent deficit by not filling vacancies
when they arise unless absolutely neceS-
sary. and by starting all new appolnteeS
at the minimum of their respective
grades"
District attorneys we're requested to
give special attention to the savings
produced by care in not summoning wit
nesses until they are actually needed,
and officials charged with the duty OF
selecting and SJmmoning iurymen can
effect savings. he said, by care in avoid
ing the selection of those ineligible or
subject to release from jury service.
States should handle many cases now
being thrown into Federal courts, the
Attorney General pointed out referring
particularly to the Dyer act, Furnishing
the transportation of stolen motor cars,
the Mann act, the act prohibiting the
use of the mails to defraud and the re-
cent act prohibiting the transportation
in interstate commerce of kidnapped per-
sons. The primary responsibility for
the detection and punishment OF kid
napers," said Attorney General Mitchell,
"rests with the state governments"