The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-07
CHANGE URGED
IN METHODS
BY HOOVER

This 70 the seventh Of a series
of articles OiDt1tO q graphic pic
ture OF the tDGT against crime,
tDhich each gear costs the people
OF this country fifteen billion
dollars. Written Nth the Co
operation and approval of J.
Edgar HooUer, director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation,
the series explains HON science
has been enlisted By Omen to
stamp out criminal elements.
BY A. N. WECKSLER
A vicious criminal slips from
behind the outer doors Of . peni-
Tertiary to rejoin equally hard
bitten 'buddies" in q life Of crime.
Back in a dingy hideout he is
greeted: ,.-. 49,. ...
"Say, how did you break Out?"
A smirk twists his crooked lips
as he answers:
Break out! Say, I didn't have
to break out. It was . natural.
Haven't You ever heard Of .
parole board? The sOft-hearted
suckers patted me on the back
and let me out"
Another enemy Of society had
been let out to prey on an U11st1s.
pecting public.
J. Edgar Hoover, director Of the
Federal Bureau Of Investigation,
is usually a softspoken individual,
but when it comes to discussing
the problem Of the parole. there
is iron in his voice.
Points to tho Toll
Six Of his special agents have
been killed by criminals who at
one time or another faced q parole
board in q mild and meek manner,
promising to go straight, to be
good, to reform.
Their sibilant lispS soon became
harsh snarls, as they denied their
oaths and turned again to the wolf
pack.
It Is not that Mr.. Hoover Is
against the principal Of parole. He
is ardently In favor Of 1t. However,
he has found that corrupt politics,
foolish Judgment and insufficient
precautions have converted parole
boards into foils for the under
world. Ia, -.
"Baby Face Nelson killed three
~ Ioia T,neY, and s'Bahy Face" was
the tyne Of criminal expert Judg.
ment would never admit to parole.
Still Nelson was q parolee.
It Is not the one instance that
has motivated the Chief Oman
ia his fight against lax parole sys-
tens. It has been o hard fight
for him in his demand for q more
careful application Of the privilege
Of parole. It has won him many
enemies.
But. it is his honest belief that
there must be change in the
system of granting paroles. There
is no question about his stand IN
the matter Of parole. He points
out with vehemence:
"I am not only q friend Of
the parole system, but I am
far better friend Of it than
those persons who believe that
love Is the primary redemptive
quality Of reforming q criminal.
I am q friend to the man who
wants to regain his place In the
world; Of the unfortunate who
has stubbed his toe against our
laws; Of the young fellow who
has made his mistake in life
and is determined that never
again shall he commit this
error. I am . friend to the per-
son made desperate through
force of circumstances, who has
Welded to temptation, who
learns his lesson and will not
forget it.
OPPOSES SOB SISTERS
Because I am q friend Of
these unfOrtunates, because /
want to see them go back to
their wives and families and
fight out their battle to . sue
cessful elimination, I ann abSO'
lutely and unalterabIy opposed to
the intervention Of sentimental
sOb-sisters, who 60 about the
country opening the doors Of
prisons to such men as Alvin
Karpis, Harvey Bailey, 'Baby
Face" Nelson, John Dillinger
and all the rest Of their habit
ualIy criminal clan, whose free
dom can only place a stain upon
the theory and practice Of pa
role" ..~ts.
He has no cure-all patent which
will overnight remedy the situa.
ton. His suggestions are dictated
by simple logic. He has four Sllg-
gestions to make, and he makes 1t
clear that regardless Of the OPP
position he encounters he will con-
tinue his fight for better parole
systems. His suggestions follow:
/. Absolute divorce Of politics
from parole.
2. Close supervision Of persons
on parole.
8. Presence Of an experienced
law enforcement officer on every
parole board.
4. Immediate submission Of
information to police authori-