Evening star., 1933-09-05
FIGHT ON CRIME
HELD SELF-DEFENSE|
Secretary Roper Pledges
Full Government Support
Against Racketeering.

Declaring the crushing out Of crime
to be q question of positive national
self-preservation," Secretary Of Com
Government support toward wping it
out.
Mr. Roper spoke on the weekly anti
crime program Of the United States
Flag Association, one of the organiza-
tions leading in the campaign on rack
eteering, and asserted that 1t Is within
the power Of an aroused public sentt-
ment to eradicate organized crime. His
address was broadcast over the net
work Of the National Broadcasting Co.
He said: I'VE need to regenerate the
national consciousness, strengthen eth
ical concepts, root out indiderences and
moral laxity and dismiss our cynical
tolerance toward racketeering II we are
to have an end Of the lawlessness that
Is disgracing America in the eyes OF
civilization"
Undermines Social Structure.
"Racketeering rots the character OF
a people. It is insidious, corrosive, pro-
foundiy disintegrating. Crime, partic-
ularly organized crime, attacks the very
foundations of our social and economic
structure, and renders the whole edi-
flee shaky"
Failing to cope with it vigorously,
Roper continued. was an invitation to
disaster
Secretary Roper cited census figures
to show so per cent increase in prison
population, from 81 900 in 1926 to 138,-
999 in 1882, and said the rise was "a
sinister and ominous fact that should
give us something about which to think
seriously"
We must root out all indifference,
complacence, in the face of crime" he
said. "Loosened, relaxed morality must
be made firm again. Any attitude of
cynical tolerance toward the racketeer
must be banished.
THE melting out of justice, Of sharp
retribution, must be made surer, swifter,
more impressive than it has been in the
past. Fortunately. We have the definite
assurance that measures to achieve this
end are being devised right now by our
most competent authorities.
IF the law-abiding citizens Of the
country will then organize and combat
lawlessness aggressively and relentless
ly, crime will go. And, my countrymen.
want to assure you that in your war
on crime you will have the full and un-
qualified support of the President Of the
tice, the Department of Commerce and
all other departments Of the United
States Government We are united in
our determination that crime must CO."
Probably the most alarming phase Of
this crime, he said, is "gangsterized
industry, organized on a Nationwide
scale, under the leadership Of some Of
the country's most notorious criminals
and abetted by a certain few corrupt
politicians. grating police officials and
unscrupulous lawyers"
Almost every industry has been IN
vaded by the racketeer, notably cleaning
and dyeing, ice. coal, undertakers, flor-
lists, ice cream, building. and others"
Roper estimated that racketeers ex-
torted last year $165 10000 from citi-
zens. He further declared that in one
city alone there are nearly 200 different
kinds Of rackets and an annual average
of more than 100 hombings. Com
parable figures" he said, prevail else
where"
Among the evils growing out OF this
organized crime, the Commerce Secre-
tary stressed. is not only lessened re-
spect for the law in general but higher
cost to the people for fire insurance,
burglary, bomb damage, and sabotage.
There Is also, he reminded, increased
cost for police and private guard pro-
lection and higher cost to the consumer
of goods, including the necessities Of
life. The "rake-of" of the racketeer,
he warned, has to be considered in the
selling price Of goods.
1T costs an enormous sum to keep IN
confinement an army Of law-breakers,"
he continued. But that expense is
merely q very trifiing fraction of the
amount of tribute that is levied upon
society as q direct or indirect result OF
buccaneering rackets."