Evening star., 1933-02-04
It Pays to Investigate.

Investigating crime appears to be one
Of Uncle Sans most profitable activi-
ties-profitable not alone from the
standpoint of social welfare but also
from the purely mercenary standpoint
of revenue.
Just the other day Representative
Cochran of Missouri called attention to
profits turned into the Treasury by the
self-supporting Intelligence Unit Of the
Internal Revenue Bureau, and now
comes a statement on the House floor
in enthusiastic support of another
money-making detective agency-the
Bureau Of Investigation.
This time the commendation was
voiced by members Of both parties, in
cluding the Democratic chairman OF
the subcommittee on appropriations for
the Justice Bureau, Representative
Oliver. of Alabama. Taking the floor
during discussion last week of the JUS
tice appropriation bill, Mr.. Oliver said
Your attention Is directed to the i'm
portant and valuable service. impossible
to evaluate on a cash basis, that all
these departments render to the people
of the Nation. 1t is reflected in a more
tangible way, perhaps, by one bureau
of the Department of Justice, the Bu-
reau of Investigation and Prosecution
of Crimes At Your leisure I invite you
to read page 108 of the hearings, where
in 1892 that department., with an ap-
preparation of approximately $2.600,C00
saved to individual taxpayers in the way
of returned property in Your district
and mine more than $2,34O 600; and to
claims now pending before the courts
more than 5000, 900, making a total
saving over and above all expenditures
of more than 100000.
Chairman divers remarks precipi-
tated a veritable flood of encomiums for
the bureau and its director. ]. Edgar
Hoover. Representative Mccormack
Democrat, of Massachusetts, pointed
out that the Bureau Of Investigation Is
"at least cne bureau in the Federal
Government toward which the least
breath of scandal has never been oil
rected." and said he wanted "Mr. Hoover
and those working under him to know
that the members Of the National House
of Representatives have watched their
activities and are proud Of the wonder
full work they are doing" Representa-
tive Dyer, Republican, Of Missouri
Joined with Mr.. Mccormack, in referring
to the bureau as one of the most effici-
characteriAng its director as lone OF
the finest public officials Of the Gov
eminent"
The reason for such an unusual pub
Lie tribute to Government bureau by
economy-thirsty legislators is found IN
the record of hearings to which refer
ence was made by Chairman Oliver
The testimony showed that the bureau
last year effected recoveries valued at
s2,324,641 and saved the Government
se42,7 TOT in claims. Through investiga-
tive activities of bureau agents 1,255
fugitives from justice were located, and
2,434 additional fugitives were located
through fingerprint identifications.
Convictions were secured In 1916 per
cent of investigated cases which went
before grand juries-a record which, II
Is said, Is unequaled.
And despite these accomplishments
the bureau was able to return to the
Treasury $2S8,s92 left from appropri-
ations granted by Congress for the last
fiscal year.
It is not surprising that this bureau
has such stanch friends in an economy
minded Congress.