Evening star., 1934-10-08
The Nations Greatest Problem.

A national conference on crime
in the United States has been called
by the Attorney General, to meet in
this city December TO- 1t will consider
the subject in four principal aspects,
the causes and the prevention of
crime; investigation. detection and
apprehension; criminal courts and
prosecution; detention, parole, proba-
ton and pardon. Representatives of
Federal, State and local governments,
authorities in legal medical, socio-
logical, scientific, religious, educational
civic, archaeological, police, patriotic,
welfare service and other organiza-
tions will attend and participate
Governors and other officials of the
States will be invited. The meeting
will, in short, be composite of all
phases Of American life. In his state
ment announcing the conference, At
torney General Cummings says:
The purpose of the conference is to
evolve a practical program of objeC-
tives that will commend itself to the
support of the American people. What
is sought is neither a Federal program
alone. nor a State program alone,
but methods of effective cooperation
IN the sphere Of crime prevention and
criminal law enforcement by Federal,
1Ooo1 Re uToll
as the active assistance of all agen-
cies, official and otherwise, which can
participate in a sustained national
movement to deal with the criminal
menace.
The cost of crime in this country,
in terms of money, social deteriora-
ton, loss of productive human effort
and weakening Of regard for the laws
and the efficiency of the agencies of
orderly government, is incalculable.
1t is the greatest national problem
which has ever been faced, greater
than civil war. than foreign war.
than economic depression. 1t affects
all the people. affects them harm
fully. lowers their morale, weakens
II it does not destroy their confidence
in the safeguards which government,
both national and local, are sup
posed to afford against the violators Of
the law.
In his call for the conference, At
torney General Cummings says that
the objective is Ito build founda-
ton for a more effective administra-
ton of justice, based upon the inte-
grafton of all available forces of law
and order" Those forces comprise
first the law itself, then the police and
finally the courts. The law has be-
come so complex that it often aids
rather than Furnishes the criminal.
The police have been handicapped
by, in many cases, incompetent direc-
ton, and in many others by confusion
of jurisdictions and the courts have to
a lamentable degree, in the States, be-
come tainted by political factors, and
crippled by technicalities to the point
Of repeated and frequent failures of
justice, to the disadvantage of
society.
What with the cumbersome slow
ness Of judicial procedure and the
mistaken clemency shown toward
those convicted of crime through par
dons and paroles, the professional
criminal has gained the veritable
status of a privileged class. Recent
shocking offenses committed by men
with long criminal records, many Of
them on parole. have definitely dem
onstrated this to be fact. A revul-
3. sion of public feeling has occurred
against the theory of reformation and
In favor OF the practice of more
severe and unremitting punishment.
The conference to be held in De-
cember should effect a full disclosure
of the sentiment Of the American peo-
pie on this question, and should point
the way to reform in procedure
that will lead to the effective co-ordi-
nation of all the forces of law against
the forces of crime. The problem can
not, Of course, be solved in the three
days of the sessions, but concentra-
ton of national opinion upon the
vitally important problem of law en-
forcement in this country should re-
suit, leading to the eventual and it is
to be hoped, the early adoption of
lasting corrective measures throughout
the land.
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