Evening star., 1934-12-11

The text Of President Roosevelt's
speech last night before the Attorney
Generals Crime Conference follows:
During the past two years there
have been uppermost in our minds the
problems of feeding and clothing the
destitute, making secure the founda-
tions Of our agricultural. industrial
and financial structures. and releasing
and directing the vital forces that
make for healthy national life. AS
a component part of the large objec-
tive we include our constant struggle
to safeguard ourselves against the
attacks of the lawless and the criminal
elements Of our population.
Relentlessly and without COM
promise the Department Of Justice has
moved forward in its major offensive
against these forces. With increasing
effectiveness, State and local agencies
are directing their efforts toward the
achievement of law enforcement; and
with them, in more marked degree
than ever before, the Federal Govern
ment has worked toward the common
objective.
Officers Devoted In Service.
1t is q privilege to pay tribute to
the men and women who, in many
capacities, official and otherwise, have
contributed to our growing success.
To a much greater extent than is
generally realized our law enforce
ment officers throughout the country
have rendered devoted, conscientious
and effective service. often under ex-
ond ho1ordntrS
stances.
Their effectiveness has, unfortu-
nately, been impaired because Of in
adequate organization, unScientific
administration and lack Of public
support and understanding In many
instances, We may as well frankly
admit, bandits have been better
equipped and better organized than
have the officials who are supposed
tokeep them in check. This is partic-
ularly true because of the lack of CO.
ordination between local agencies
within the States. It is. also. con-
tributed to in serious measure by the
lack of facilities for training skilled
men for the work Of detection, ap-
prehension and prosecution Of accused
persons, and by similar lack Of facili-
ties for the study and supervision Of
certain types of criminals capable of
rehabilitation.
1t is important, too, that we recog-
nize clearly the increasing scope and
complexity Of the problem Of criminal
law administration. Undoubtedly there
are unfortunate aspects Of our ma
tional life which seriously threaten
the American home: increase the
danger of juvenile delinquency and
multiply offenses against the good
order of society. The regulation of
the Illicit traffic in drugs, the pre-
vention of commerce in stolen goods,
and generally, the interstate character
of offenses attributable to the rowing
criminal have presented national
problems against which primitive
forms of law enforcement are rela-
lively powerless.
Must Realize Importance.
1t is equally necessary that we
realize the Importance Of common
action all along the line-starting
with crime prevention itself and car
rying this common action all the
way through to prosecution and pun
ishment.
Effective detection Of criminals may
be rendered useless by ineffective
prosecution or by unintelligent jul
dicial disposition. Beneficent and
promising procedures, such as pro-
baton and parole, may become actu-
ally sources Of danger, If ignorantly
or indifferently administered. So, too,
reliance on mere repression cannot
take the place of intelligent training
and guidance Of youth.
We have come to time when our
need is to discover more fully and to
direct more purposefully into useful
channels that greatest Of all natural
resources. the genius Of the younger
generation. Crime is symptom Of
social disorder Widespread increase
in capacity to substitute order for dis
order is the remedy.
This can come only through expert
service in marshaling the assets of
home, school, church, community and
other social agencies, to work in COM
mon purpose with our law enforce
ment agencies. We deceive our
selves when we fail to realize that
it Is an inter-related problem Of
immense difficulty. Scientific re-
search, highly trained personnel. ex-
pert service are just Is necessary here |
as in any field of human endeavor.
To the extent that we provide, in |
stead, unscientiflc methods, poorly |
trained personnel and hit-or-miss |
procedures, we may expect bungling, |
heartbreaking results.
Lauds Attorney General.
I am delighted, therefore, that the
Attorney General has called you to-
gether for this conference. The coun- |
try knows that under his leadership |
we are getting better results than ever |
before.
It Is heartening and reassuring 10
the people of the United States that |
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