Evening star., 1938-07-26

and presented to the Congress a COM
prehensive legislative program. Under
his energetic sponsorship it resulted In
the enactment of 81 important laws
For its commendable cooperation in
this important task the Nation should
be grateful to the Congress. I look
back with pride to the priced privilege
which was mine of cooperating with
the Attorney General in procuring the
enactment of this far-reaching legis-
lation.
Federal Banks Protected.
AS a result of these laws, briefly. 1t
is now Federal offense to rob q
national bank or any bank which is a
member of the Federal Reserve Sys-
tenn or is insured by the Federal Gov
ernment, to transport stolen property
valued at not less than $4,000 from
one State to another: and to flee from
one State to another for the purpose
OF avoiding prosecution or giving tes-
timony in State court in connection
with certain crimes Of violence. This
latter statute was a direct contribu-
ton by the Congress of Federal aid
to State authorities in enforcing their
criminal laws.
So, too, 1t became a Federal offense
to take the life of q Federal officer
Racketeering in interstate commerce
was attacked Machine guns and
sawed-off shotguns were subjected to
reasonable Federal regulation.
For the first time in our national
life the Federal Government was now
ready to function effectively in COM
batting the forces Of lawlessness that
heretofore had filtered from State to
State with a freedom that was almost
assured. It was the absence of this
legislation and the absence of any
powerful Federal law enforcement
agency that were responsible for your
Pretty Boy" Floyds, Harvey Baileys
and Dillingers-names that a few
years ago made their hateful appear
ance in heavy type on the front pages
of our papers. Today public enemies
of yesterday are either dead or safe
in Alcatraz -
Legislation alone, however. does not
solve any problem. Effective admin
istration and enforcement of the laws
that are placed on the statute books
are indispensable.
The Attorney General expanded the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
headed by J. Edgar Hoover, who is
such an outstanding figure in the field
OF law enforcement that his name has
become household word. Thereto
fore this great bureau had been purely
an investigative agency without any
power OF arrest. Legislation sponsored
by the Attorney General transformed
it into a law enforcement agency
clothed with full authority to make
arrests. Director Hoover was empow-
cred properly and fully to equip the
bureau, which has become a unique
agency, not alone in this country but
throughout the entire civilized world.
Its members are selected solely on
merit and have a permanent tenure.
They are required to meet high edu-
cational standards and personality
qualifications fitting them for the
difficult and varied tasks with which
they are confronted from day to day.
These men, skillfully and patiently
trained in mind and body, have been
responsible in a large measure for
breaking the backbone of organized
terrorism in this country.
Urschel Case In Point.
The details of the Urschel kidnapping
case have already faded from the pub
lie mind. Through perfect co-ordina-
ton OF the forces Of law and order
within 80 days after his actual alb
duction. IS Of the major perpetrators
OF that vicious crime were brought
before the bar of justice and placed
safely behind the bars of a modern
penitentiary. A major part Of the
ransom money was recovered. All
this has passed into history.
A discarded gasoline can disclosed
the identity of the abductors Of Ed
ward Bremen, and lodged Alvin
Karpis behind the bars of Alcatraz
for the rest of his life. Chemical tests
brought out one single fingerprint on
the gasoline can. There it stood
silently naming the perpetrators of
that atrocious crime, for that finger
print was left there by Doc Baker,
member of the gang. They were
brought in-one by one-and IS in all
were convicted in Federal Court, or
died while trying to avoid capture.
Another piece Of effective work. on
the part of the bureau that reads more
like romance than the narrative of
actual events is the solution of the
Ross kidnapping. Although the crime
took place in the Northwest, the kid
naper was located at a race track in
California and brought back by air
plane to the scene Of his crime. The
story of the two-day trek of Mr..
Hoover and his associates through the
snow-clad north woods, in the dead of
winter, in search Of the hideout, the
ransom money and the body Of the
victim might well have been taken
out OF novel. 1t ended up as in the
justice of things it should end, with
the death of the kidnaper in an elec-
trio chair only few days ago.
Curiously enough, few moments be-
fore it. subdued and broken in spirit,
the kidnaper sent note to the man
who had brought about his capture.
From the race tracks Of California
we pass to the Everglades OF Florida,
where the Federal forces stood in the
swamps handcuffed to the miserable
young murderer Of the kidnapped Cash
boy, while he pointed out the location
OF his victims grave. These were
somber moments for the law enforce
ment agents Of the Federal Govern
ment who stood alert to protect, II
necessary with tiaedf own Nyoa. aRatnst