Evening star., 1933-11-12
Consolidation Under Depart
ment of Justice to Be Urged
as Study Result.
PRESIDENT SAID TO LEAN
TOWARD COORDINATION
Drastic Reorganization Contem.
plated Would Unite Many
1nvestigative Units.
BY REX COLLIER.

Consolidation of Federal investigative
activities under the Department Of
Justice and closer coordination of ma
tional, State and local law enforcement
agencies will be among important rec
concentrations in the special crime re-
port to be submitted soon to Attorney
General Cummings by Prof. Raymond
Moley.
This was the information reaching
here yesterday from New York, where
the former Assistant Secretary of State
and several aides are completing the
Voiuminous report requested several
months ago by President Roosevelt.
The proposal to merge a number of
Federal detective units with a view To
elimination of overlapping functions is
not new one. Advancemerls of the
idea In the past invariably has precip-
itated a storm Of opposition. The ar
gument has been raised that some of the
agencies have become specialists on GER
tain lines Of investigation and should
not be disturbed. Friends of these
agencies in Congress have fought
against the plan each time it Is re-
vlVed and undoubtedly will continue
their opposition.
Presidents View Differs.
President Roosevelt, however, Is said
10 lean toward the consolidation pro-
posal on the grounds not only of econ
omy, but of investigative efficiency. He
indicated his attitude recently when he
ordered consolidation of all Federal kid
naping Investigations under the Justice
Departments Division of Investigation.
The order resulted in withdrawal of
the Internal Revenue Bureaus income
tax agents from the Lindbergh case.
While Moley does not favor the So
called American Scotland Yard plan
of Federal police force. advices here
are to the effect he will suggest a
drastic unification Of Uncle Sans varied
detective agencies, such as the Secret
Service. the Division Of Investigation,
part of the Postal Inspection Service.
the immigration inspection unit, etc.
The Division OF Investigation, which
Is waging war on racketeers and kid
napers with spectacular success, has
primary Jurisdiction over all investiea-
tions involving violation Of Federal
laws, except counterfeiting. narcotics,
customs, postal and immigration cases.
Secret Service Duties.
The Secret Service, by legislative
edict. handles counterfeiting offenses
and, In addition, is charged with pro-
tecting the White House and It's occu-
pants. 1t is under the Treasury De-
partment.
Drug violations are investigated by
agents of the Narcotics Bureau, also a
part OF the Treasury Department.
Customs and smuggling cases are
under the supervision Of the Customs
Pureau of the Treasury.
Mail frauds, post office entertainments
and similar crimes involving the mails
are under investigative jurisdiction of
the chief postal inspectors office Of
immigration violations ar allotted to
the immigration inspectors Of the Labor
Department.
In giving the Division of Investiga-
ton exclusive Jurisdiction in kidnapping
cases, administration officials are said
to have been moved by the fact that
at one time half a dozen Federal in
vestigative agencies were working
the Lindbergh case. with little cooper
alton of their sundry activities. Early
in the Hopewell mystery the following
Government detective units had men
assigned to the inquiry: The Bureau of
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