Evening star., 1933-04-25
CUMMINGS SCORES
FINANCIAL CRIMES
Justice Department Probing
to Find "Worst," He Says
on Radio Forum.

Charging that financial crimes" had
been committed in high places grow
ing out of banking irregularities and
income tax evaslons. Attorney General
Cummings last night declared the
Department of Justice was making ex-
tensive Investigations to discover the
worst" and would then apply the
"remedy"
Those who have considered it le-
gitimate to gamble with other peoples
money" warned the Attorney General,
must abdicate their leadership and
those who have thought that the CEN
ter of Government is located in the
financial district must learn that its
proper seat is at Washington"
In speech considered one Of the
most sharply -worded attacks against
illegal financial practices since Presi-
dent Roosevelt'S famous inaugural ex-
coriation OF the money changers"
Attorney General Cummings spoke di-
rectly to the American people in the
National Radio Forum, arranged by
The Washington Star, and broadcast
over a nation wide network of the Ma
uonal Broadcasting Co.
ASKS PUBIC support.
1t was a brief part of his address
that Attorney General Cummings de-
voted to financial irregularities, but
he spoke incisively, and called for pub
lie support of his policies. This is
not program of partisanship' he
said; 1T Is a program OF patriotism
which l am confident the people of
America. without respect to previous
party afiliation, will welcome with glad
hearts"
The legalized beer industry, Mr.
Cummings declared, should be kept
free from the control of racketeerS."
Already, he pointed out, it has become
apparent that the bootlegging inter-
ests will seek to levy a toll on the
manufacture and distribution of legal
beer as they have done for years" Pre-
dieting the honest beer industry would
be preyed upon by outside influences,
he said that those who were endeav-
oring honestly to live within the law
would find friend in the Department
Of Justice. The eighteenth amendment,
he warned, however, had not been re-
pealed, and he pledged the depart
ment to see that it Is respected and
enforced"
Minor offenders may well be left to
the judgment and discretion Of local
courts" he said, so that the work Of
the Bureau of Prohibition may be con-
centrated upon the activities of COM
mercial violators, racketeers and groups
of offenders who make 1t their busi-
ness, by conspiracy and violence, to de-
fraud the Government, terrorize legiti-
mate business, and bring the law into
diSreSpect."
Amazed" at Dead Wood"
Amazed" at the amount of dead
wood" he said he had found in the
Department of Justice, the Attorney
General said already he had saved an
amount in excess Of 100000 by the
elimination OF a large number of to
tally unnecessary" employees, both in
washington and In the field. This
process of elimination" he said, II
expect to continue" explaining that
substantial savings could be made in
the Offices of practically every United
States District Attorney. Under the
economy program, the speaker said he
planned to save sS,500,000 from the
appropriation for the department for
the coming fiscal year. In criticizing
the enthusiastic manner in which
many people indorse themselves for at
tachment to the public service" the
Attorney General said, however, that
due to the specialized work which
many lawyers in the department were
doing, there can be no indiscriminate
removal from the service Of these who
are efficiently and faithfully discharg-
ing their duties
Great care would be taken in making
recommendation to the President for
candidates for appointment as Federal
judges, district attorneys and United
States marShalS, the Attorney General
said.
Explains Organization.
The chief law officer explained the
organization of the Department of Jus
tfce, the scope OF its business in the
courts, the increase in its cases and
the saving which results from success
full defense Of suits against the Gov
ernment. For the fiscal year now clos
ing, he said cases were brought against
the United States involving more than
$47OOOO, ,OO0
When the new administration came
into power, the Attorney General said,
public affairs were in a deplorable,
and, let me add, well-nigh desperate
condition. The incoming administra-
tion and all the departments were,
hllCi CiOIC, uiIOtI ucCeSSlLy VI uSdlllk
not only with an immediate crisis call
ing for the utmost swiftness and pre-
cision in action, both administrative
and legislative, but they were required
also to meet the imperative problem
of departmental economy so that the
national budget might be balanced"
Text Of Speech.
The text of Attorney General Cum
mings' speech follows:
When Edmund Randolph Of Virginia
was appointed Attorney General by
PresiaeHt Washington, pursuant to an
act of the First Congress adopted on
September "a. 1889. department OF
law, subsequently designated as the De-
partment of Justice, had its origin. From
a very modest beginning it has de-
veloped to its present rather overwhelm-
ing proportions.
The Attorney General of the United
States, it has frequently been remarked,
is at the head of the largest law office
IN the world About 5000 employees and
officials fall within its direct supervision.
1t is a complicated mechanism dealing
with questions affecting hundreds OF
millions of dollars and the most sacred
of human rights. It's functions have
never been more important or more vital
than they are today.
On a later occasion shall discuss the
wider purposes and the special activi-
ties of the department. Tonight let
me draw your attention to the field oc-