The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-11
CRIME FARLEY
HEARS ATTACK
ON POLITICIANS
Efforts of Law Enforcement
Agents Often Hampered,
Hoover Says.
SLAIN OFFICERS LAUDED
DiIlinger and His Kind Are
Vermin of Worst Type,
He Asserts.
ByUnitcd Press

BIZ United Press
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.-Lav
enforcement agencies in their drive
to eradicate potential John Dilling-
ers and Baby Face Nelson's are ham,
pered by political pressure, J. Edgar
Hoover, chief Of Justice Department
investigators, told the National
Crime Conference this afternoon.
Until political pressure is doomed
and until there arrives a continual
state of cooperation between all
arms of law enforcement" Mr.
Hoover said, we must regard era
dication of gangs like those of Dill
linger and others as transitory
phases of a condition which can
change overnight"
Lauds Average Officer
Mr.. Hoover heads the Federal
forces that killed Dillinger, Nelson.
and other public enemies. He was
the first speaker at today's sessions
of the conference called to bring
Federal. state and local agencies
into close cooperation and estab-
lish a national institute of Grim
jnology requested by President
Roosevelt.
Desperadoes like Dillinger. said
Mr.. Hoover, did not spring full
fleGged into the ranks of big-time
criminals. Their beginnings were
lowly. They we're vermin of the
worst types"
He said officers should be able to
arrest a man without having their
arm stayed by the more powerful
hand of some politician. He paid
tribute, none the less, to the aver
age American law officer. saying
that he usually was honest, rarely
yielded to temptation and nearly
always was courageous even to
death.
EuIogizes Slain Agents
mo man can give more" Mr..
Hoover continued, eulogizing Fed
eral agents who have been slain
this year in battles with public
enemies.
There was no furling of flags
when they died, no pomp and cere-
mony No riderless horse followed
by star-spangled caisSons as they
pursued their course to their final
resting place. Yet they had died in
the service of their country, died
in warfare. to the squirt of flame
and the whine of deadly bullets"
Previously Americas leading crime
experts had laid the groundwork for
a National Institute of Criminology,
dedicated to pursuing President
Roosevelt's ideal of crimeless
Nation.
Presidents Hope Outlined
The President indicated by infer
ence in an address before the At
torney Generals Conference on
crime that such an ideal perhaps
was impossible of attainment, but
said:
During the past two years there
have been uppermost in our minds
the problems of feeding and cloth
ing the destitute, making secure the
foundations of our agricultural. in
dustrial and financial structures.
and releasing and directing the vital
forces that make for healthy ma
tional life. AS a component part
of the large objective we include
our constant struggle to safeguard
ourselves against the attacks of the
lawless and the criminal elements of
our population
Directing his remarks to the 500
law officers. judges. and attorneys
assembled in Constitutional Hall last
night. Mr.. Roosevelt urged them TO
create an anti-crime organization
composed of Federal, state and
municipal law enforcement agencies.