Evening star., 1937-09-30
ASK COOPERATION
IN j. s. CRIME WAR
Cummings and Hoover Seek
Closer Alignment of
Police Forces.

In the wake OF the Brookings In
stitution's criticism of Federal law
enforcement agencies which fail to
cooperate with one another, Attor-
ney General Cummings and j. Edgar
Hoover, director of the Federal Bu-
reau OF Investigation, today made
urgent pleas for a closer alignment OF
all crime fighting forces-Federal,
State and local.
Addressing more than 1900 mem
bers and guests of the International
Association for Identification in the
great hall Of the Department OF JUS
tice, Cummings declared whole e-heart-
ed cooperation among law enforce
ment officers is essential to successful
warfare on criminals.
Turning toward Hoover, seated
nearby, the Attorney General smil-
ingly said:
Mr.. Hoover and I have always
worked hand in hand We. at least,
have had 100 per cent cooperation.
The Attorney General made no di-
rect reference, however, TO the Brook
ings report, which charged that some
Of the Federal agencies are not work.
ing together.
Hoover Asks CO. operation.
Hoover, in a vigorous speech, as
serted:
Corporation is our only hope Of
success against an enemy which main
tains an effective system of co-opera-
tion within its ranks . Our everv
officer must use the same weapons as
the criminal, binding himself with
other officers and with other organiza-
tions, so that all may present a united
front against the viciousness of a
criminal world which is constantly
seeking to undermine our American
civilization"
The head Oman aSsailed medicine
men" and "quacks" of law enforce
ment who have patent nostrunls for
ending criminality overnight" He
also criticized parole sob-sisters"
who are responsible for maladmin-
istration of parole in some of the
States.
Cites Parole Outrages."
Development of the fingerprint
system IN recent years, Hoover said.
has exposed what tremendous out
RACES have been practiced in the name
OF parole" He said prison doors have
been opened to release "murderers,
thieves and sex criminals that they
might again descend upon the honest
citizen TO rob and beat and kidnap
and rape and murder"
In his talk, the Attorney General
saiG breakdowns in enforcement of
criminal laws are due largely to fail
ure OF personnel rather than TO in
adequacy of the laws.
Brains are replacing Drawn in some
police departments, he said, but there
is much need for improvement Of
personnel standards in many juris-
diciions.
He declared it is Significant that
in most States any person, regards
less of his intelligence quotient or
his training, can become justice Of
the peace, coroner. a prison guard,
a parole officer or sheriff"
Charges Laxness.
Among "breakdowns" that has oc-
CURED in law enforcement, the At
torney General stated, are failure to
make arrests, failure to prosecute
those who are arrested, failure to con-
vict through conflict of testimony by
so-called expert witnesses" failure
of juries to convict despite over
whelming evidence of guilt, delays
in commitment of those convicted
through appeals and paroling of pris-
oners who should be kept behind bars.
Federal Bureau of Investigation is
"a new and an encouraging develop
ment"
In the crime scene room OF the
F. B. I. criminologists this after
| noon will see the remains of Oscar"
the veteran wax murder victim"
used by G-men in studying crime
scene investigative technique.
Yesterday afternoon they saw "Os-
car" face the high-powered magnum
pistols of crack-shot G-men on their
training range at the Quantico ma
rine base. The famous dummy came
through the ordeal without scratch
due to the fine craftsmanship of
special agents, who fired at pieces of
chalk in his mouth and on his head.
slices Of potato in his hands and a
playing card stuck in his fist.
Staging remarkable exhibition of
trick shooting, the agents shattered
the chalk and potatoes by shooting
their revolvers upside down and side
ways, by turning their backs on the
dummy and shooting through their
legs and with mirrors, by covering
their gun sights with a card stuck
on the muzzle of the pistol and even
by blindfolding an agent holding a
pistol and letting another agent do
the sighting for him.
Two stunts which evoked greatest
applause were the splitting Of . play
ing card stuck in Oscars hand so
that only the edge could be seen by
the pistol expert and the simultaneous
firing of pistols held in both hands
of an agent, who aimed at-and hit
two potatoes held in Oscars out