Evening star., 1932-05-22
Bungling Enough in New Jersey.


remarkable ramifications OF deception
and extortien has been treated from the
outset as a crime against the laws OF
the State Of New Jersey. The investi-
cation has been conducted by the New
Jersey state police. Some aid has been
given by the police Of other States and
by the Department Of Justice in this
city. State boundaries have been crossed
here and there, but not to the extent OF
making the crime one Of Federal Juris-
diction. For there is no Federal law on
the subject of kidnapping. A bill to that
effect is now pending in Congress with
prospect of passage. It's enactment after
the deed, however, would not affect the
Lindbergh case. Meanwhile the Fed
eral Bureau Of Investigation of the De-
partment Of Justice can only serve in
an advisory capacity upon the request
of the New Jersey authorities.
Had this crime occurred in England 1t
would undoubtedly have been at once
taken in hand by the Criminal Investi-
cation Department, which is popularly
known as Scotland Yard. That organi-
cation is strictly only the police OF the
metropolitan district, covering an area
of about nine hundred square miles, or
that within a radius of perhaps fifteen
miles from Charing Gross. 1t Is the
largest police force in the world, and Is
commanded by officers appointed by the
national executive. It does not inter-
fere with the work of the local police
examinations, which are nearly two
hundred in number ard which are
strictly under local authorities. But in
practically all instances of major crime,
especially when the criminal passes be-
yond the boundary Of the borough or
county Of the immediate occurrence,
Scotland Yard is called upon for at least
assistance and often for q complete con-
duct of the investigation. The rights OF
the local police forces are scrupulously
observed, and the &C. I. D." at London
acts only upon request. Just so has the
Federal Bureau Of Investigation acted,
to the slight extent that 1t Is now doing,
only upon the request Of the New Jer-
sey authorities.
The feeling prevails that the investi-
cation of this crime has not been
conpetently prosecuted. Certainly not
effectively as regards results. The local
police authorities in New Jersey were
not competent in truth to handle so
difficult and bafhing case. At the
outset 1t appeared TO be an interstate
crime, as it was supposed that the kid
napers had fed beyond the boundaries
OF the State. There is now melancholy
evidence that the infant hostage was
taken only a short distance from its
home to be slain, which as far as the
kidnapping and the murder are con-
cerned made the case strictly local in
technical Jurisdiction. But even so, 1t
was more than the New Jersey police
could manage.
In the developments of the case the
false clues that were so fruitlessly pur-
sued under the direction Of the astound-
ing Curtis, the contact" with the kid
napers through the amazing Condor
and the payment Of money in supposed
redemption of the child-these were all
outside of the local jurisdiction. AS
these enterprises were conducted prac-
tically by Col. Lindbergh himself there
vas no place in them for Federal as
sistance or counsel or supervision. Yet
if the guidance of the Department Of
Justice bureau had been sought in these
efforts, they would probably have been
abandoned as obviously futile and false.
Now the problem is to find the steal
ers and killers of the child. There is no
question of ransom There can be no
question of forgiveness. These people
must be found. The New Jersey police
organization has failed miserably. 1t is
time that the Federal Government be
formally given charge Of the pursuit,
which is test Of the efficacy Of law in
America.