Evening star., 1935-05-19
u. S. .RAD|OSTAT|ON|RALLY IN CAPITAL
MAY FIGHT CRIME F0RN.R.A. MAPPED
PoIice.Wave Broadcasts to
Cover Entire Nation Are
Favored in Report.

establishment at the Department
Of Justice Of powerful police-wave
radio station capable Of flashing to
all corners of the United States oral
and telephoto lookout" warnings in
event Of prison breaks and other
crime war emergencies is planned by
the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As result of q Nationwide sur
vey Of police and other law enforce
ment authorities, Just completed. a
special committee of bureau execu-
tives has reported to Director J. Ed
gar Hoover . favorable response by
State and local agencies TO proposals
for Federal radio system to broad
cast:
/. Urgent information concerning
prison breaks and bandit chases, so
as to coordinate activities Of Federal.
State and municipal officers in major
man hunts.
q. Descriptions Of fugitives and
other wanted persons, together with
telephoto reproductions Of their pho
tographs and fingerprints.
Blockade Orders Possible.
8. Orders for quick establishment
of blockades on roads over which out
laws are known or believed to be
escaping.
4. Instructions for setting up inter-
national boundary blockades against
the flight to other countries Of hunted
criminals.
S. "Lookouts" for fugitives thought
to be on ships at sea or in other places
with which communication can be
had only by radio.
6. Descriptive information on miss
ing persons. including suspected kid
nap victims, amnesia sufferers and
the like.
z. Data on ''modus opersndi" in
various types of crimes. statistics on
crime and similar information of in
terest to law enforcement agencies.
The proposals also include provision
for operation Of a radio broadcast
training school for law enforcement
officials, possibly IN connection with
the bureaus present training school
for special agents.
Scope Is Tentative.
The proposed scope of the radio
service is tentative, depending largely
on technical studies yet to be made
with view to determining feasibility
of the program from an engineering
standpoint. Technical studies are be-
ing made with the cooperation Of the
Federal Radio Commission.
The need for such a radio system
has been keenly felt by the bureau in
connection with some of its impor-
tant man-hunts. Radio would have
been of great help to Hoover's men in
their long and spectacular hunt for
John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd.
Baby Face" Nelson and the Karpis-
Barker gangsters.
The searches in those cases were
directed by telephone and telegraph,
which necessitated periodical report
ing by agents In the field. With two
way radio sets In their cars, however,
the agents would be in constant, di-
rect touch with headquarters here,
and could be kept advised of momen-
tary developments in other areas Of
operation.
Hoover believes It would be extreme
ly difficult for gangsters to run the
gantlet of posses, as Dilhnger and
Floyd and, more recently, as Alvin
Karpis did at Atlantic City, if police
in surrounding towns and cities were
put on guard Immediately by means of
radio.
Code Being Considered.
In order to maintain secrecy, con-
sideration Is being given to q system
of scrambled codes" which only au-
thorized officers would be able to un-
derstand.
In case Of kidnapings. warnings
could be radioed to al authorities to
be on the lookout for the kidnapers'
automobile. When Charles F. Urschel,
Oklahoma oil magnate. was "snatched"
for $500, 900 ransom by Harvey Bailey,
Machine Gun" Kelly and their gang,
Mrs. Urschel telephoned Hoover with
in few minutes Of the crime, but
before telephone and telegraphic
orders could be issued for blocking
roads in the vicinity, Urschel's captors
were miles away from Oklahoma City.
They drove all night with their victim.
unmolested by police, who otherwise
might have been warned by radio to
be on the lookout.
Rapid dissemination by radio Of
photographs and fingerprints of sus-
poets or known criminals would facili-
tate Identification of prisoners or aid
In effecting capture of fugitives, it Is
contended.
A further report on the radio plans
Is to be submitted at meeting Of the
committee next Wednesday.