Evening star., 1934-05-23
|M0LEy PROPOSES
JUSTICE INCREASE
IN CRIME REPORT
Would Provide Investigation
Division With at Least
1000 Agents.
RAPS COPELAND PLAN
FOR "SCOTLAND YARD"
Fears Doors Would Be Opened
to Political Patronage
by States.
BY REX COLLIER.

Immediate enlargement of the JUS
tice Departments Division of Investi-
cation by at least 600 field agents, and
defeat of Senator Copeland's "Ameri-
can Scotland Yard" proposal are rec
commended by Raymond Moley, for
mer brain truster," in the first Sec
ton of his long g-awaited crime report
to the President, made public today.
Unless the divisions field force is
increased promptly from 397 to mot
less than 1000" Moley advised Mr..
Roosevelt. the present high prestige of
Federal law enforcement will be i'm
paired and the present and proposed
laws will fail of their purpose.
The Copeland bill to create a sort of
Scotland Yard system through COM
misSioning of State police officers as
special agents of the Division of In
vestigation was placed first on a list
of three crime bills which Moley
termed thoroughly unSound in
principle" The other two are q bill
to nationalize all Identification data
under compulsory reporting plan and
a bill to consolidate Federal investiga-
tive agencies.
Terms Plan Unnecessary.
With respect to the consolidation
measure, Moley explained that, in his
opinion, legislation to accomplish a
merger of Federal detective agencies
Is unnecessary, as the economy act
gives the President ample authority to
effect merger by executive order.
Moley, known to he in favor Of q
consolidation of various investigative
forces under the Justice Department,
said he would discuss changes neces-
sary in the administrative agencies
vested with the responsibility of en-
forcing Federal criminal laws" in the
second section Of his report, to be
submitted in "a few weeks" 1t has
been reported he will recommend
merger of such important branches as
the division of investigation. the
Treasury's Secret Service, the Postal
Inspection Service and others.
Conceding the necessity for the wide
exercise of police powers by the Fed
eral Government. Moley at the same
time warned against relaxation of Wig
ilance by State and municipal author
tiles.
Condemns State Plan.
Copeland's plan for having each of
the State Governors appoint two
liaiSon officers, who would be commits
stoned as Justice agents, was con-
demned in vigorous language. This
bill now is before Senate committee.
This bill, Moley declared, would
open the doors wide to political pat
ronage by the States" and would
permit the selection of agents of the
Department of Justice, who are
neither really selected by the depart
ment nor responsible to it." The
Copeland plan also is looked upon
with disfavor by the Department of
Justice, it is understood. Moley point
ed out ''in all fairness" that the Cope
land bill was not proposed nor spon-
sored by the department.
Moley said he was assisted in pre-
pairing the report by Bruce Smith of
the Institute of Public Administra-
ton. He said he had studied infor-
nation collected by various crime
commissions and other agencies and
had consulted with "a few very prac-
tical and informed people in this
field" naming Joseph B. keenan,, As
sistant Attorney General; j. Edgar
Hoover, director of the Division of
Investigation; Earl Warren. district
attorney Of Alameda County, Cali
fornia, and Col. Henry Barrett Cham
berlin, creator and director of the
Chicago Crime Commission.
The third and final section of his
report he disclosed, will deal with the
best means of cooperation between
Federal. State and local law enforce
ment authorities. The second and
third sections now are in course of
preparation.
The report approved in general the