Evening star., 1933-09-01
LEGION AID ASKED
IN RACKETEER WAR
Senator Copeland Tells New
York Convention Mounting
Toll of Crime.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


BINGHAMTON, N. Y, September l.
Senator Royal S. Copeland Of New
York called upon the American Legion
Ito aid in wiping out racketeering and
@kidnaping, in an address here today at
sthe New York State convention of the
Legion. -,
: Estimating the cost OF crime to the
sAmerican people at from ten to fifteen
Sbillions of dollars annually, Senator
aCopeland said that kidnapping and
sracketeering have challenged attention
sand awakened us" Public opinion as
swell as laws, he continued, must deal
with the crime situation
: "All the racketeers,' continued Sena-
tor Copeland, have not been in the
sso-called criminal classes. Some have
sbeen church members. Look at some
sof the things which have happened
in banking.
American Legion Help.
: 1.-THE American Legion can help in
this campaign against racketeerlng and
kidnapping. A committee from your
body can assist, just as committee
from the Federal Bar Association Is
helping the Senate committee of which
happen to be chairman.
Prohibition failed of accomplishing
the ends of its advocates, because it
lacked popular support. Instead OF
doing good, as no doubt its sincere
supporters believed it would, it did great
harm Its evasion by millions of our
citizens broke down the respect for
law which should be the habit Of every
good man and woman.
Prohibition is on the way out and
doubtless by the end of the year will
be no more. Prohibition has raised up
class of professional law breakers
who have profiteered through the liquor
business What will those underworld
characters do now? The worst Of them,
the strong arm recruits. those who love
luxury with all that taste engenders,
will turn to other rackets and kid
naping.
"Of course, We won't endure these
evils. We intend to destroy them root
and branch.
You have no fear of fingerprinting.
To help control crime that practice
must be made mandatory on every
American. To have the public accept
this IS no easy task. Having been
fingerprinted on entering the Army, you
know all about it. You can help greatly
in this campaign.
. mo one questions that there should
be better control Of firearms. Since the
war a million pistols have been i'm
sported from abroad. Our domestic
million annually.
Machine Gun Curb.
'There is no dissent to the proposition
that the subcaliber machine gun must
be absolutely prohibited. It has no
military use and no sporting use It is
essentially the weapon Of the gangster
Elghty-seven such guns made in New
York, have been found in private hands
in Chicago. This devilish instrument
of crime must be abolished.
AN American Scotland Yard with
greater freedom of action on the part
OF Federal investigators will help lot"
Senator Copeland deplored the man
,11er in which veterans compensation
had been cut in the economy drive of
the administration. At the same time.
he criticized the way in which many of
the laws relating to veterans pensions
and compensation had been written by
congress. He called for model pension
laws. written in advance of future wars,
which he believed are sure to come.
AS view it" said Senator Copeland,
The American Legion should provide
Tor standing committee with instruc-
tlons to apply its energies to the writing
of model pension law. It should be
prepared with a view to permanent
value. 1t should be comprehensive
enough to cover battle injury. service
connected damage, physical disability,
family protection and every other point
that experience appears to make nee
essary.
1T is probable the purchasing value
OF the dollar will huctuate from year
to year. This fact must be kept in
mind IN providing payments under the
terms OF the proposed law The stand
ard price index might be used as the
yardstick in fixing the rates Of pay"