The Omaha guide., 1945-06-09
The
TOWN
REPORTER
!"
Washington
WAFER E5;!all u1!I 35.l2,53sE
Home or Hatrack

This is the indictment against in
dolent American parents by J. Ed
gar Hoover. boss Oman of the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation, in ex-
planning that the nation faces 1.-The
biggest juvenile crime problem in
history"
Principal cure, says Mr.. Hoover,
is widespread education Of adult
population as to its responsibilities
and the incubation of religion in
the homes. An estimated 1893, 655
crimes were reported in 1914, ac-
cording to %fingerprint cards exam
ined by the FIJI. OF this number
age II stood out as the predominant
ing single age group among arrest
ed persons, followed in this respect
by ages IS, 10, 81 and % in order
indicated.
With the passing of each hour dur
ing 1914, more than 158 serious ma
jor crimes were reported to local
police authorities. That's a major
crime about every % seconds. Ev-
cry day during last year brought ~
felonious killings, 80 rapes, $50 ag-
gravated assaults and left 100 per-
sons robbed, 555 with their automo-
biles stolen and the home or bust
ness place Of TAO others b~urglarized.
On top Of these 2,176 larcenies &C.
Cured in the average day.
And crimes in rural and
in the small towns kept pace
with crime in the larger CEN
tiers of population. Rural muir
ders and rapes decreased in 1914,
whereas urban crimes of these
types increased. On the other
hand, rural robberies we're up
IL per CEN while urban rob-
berries declined 81 per cent. For
offenses of negligent manslaugh-
ter, assault, burglary and auto
theft, the trend in both rural and
urban crime figures was upward
in 1914.
Arrest records received by the
FBI during 1914 in Washington
showed that 1913 per cent of those
arrested for major crime have pre-
vious criminal records and that Of
the youngsters committing serious
crime a larger percentage will m
tinue in a career Of crime.
Blame for juvenile delinquency
and crime can be laid Oh the Shout
ders of the lax parent and the home
a lack of discipline and knowl-
edge of right living is at fault" MI.
Hoover said.
Blame Can't Be Shifted.
Efforts to shift the blame from
the home to the clergy. to school
teachers and public officials don't
hold water, for a knowledge Of right
and wrong, the love of family and
neighbor and the tenets of religion
must be i~nculcated early and often
within the walls of the homes in
the lives of the nations youngsters.
Mr.. Hoover believes return Of
gangsterism in this country such as
grew up following the last war can
be prevented. There has been a
large increase in hijacking recent
ly such as developed during the pro
hibition days and there is evidence
that remnants of old gangster gangs
have taken pert in these crimes
but through the efforts of the FBI
those mobs have been broken up and
the enactment of national laws such
as the kidnapping and extortion stat
utes, the unlawful flight to avoid
prosecution law. the national stolen
property act and other laws, have
curbed the activities of gangsters
the success of the FBI in track
ing down criminals and their high
rate of convictions about 81 per
cent is also proving a deterrent
against the organized crime of post
World War l days.
There likely will be no more
. John Dillingers, or Dutch
Schultzs or Capone gangs, for
through the efficiency Of the FBI
itself, its tough, hard-hitting,
straight shooting agents
placing detection of crime on a
scientific basis . . and the FBI
national police academy, where
police chiefs and other police Of
ficers are trained to fight crime
scientifically highly organ
lied gangs just cannot get a foot
hold as they once could.
And speaking Of crime . accord
ing to the Wickersham report, it is
costing the taxpayers of the nation
about Is billion dollars each year.
That's more than the total quota of
the Seventh War loan. 1t is more
than the cost of education.
The FBI has won the respect and
the trust Of the nation, particularly
during these wal years when it has
had the responsibility Of espionage
and sabotage and has prevented any
act OF sabotage by enemy action.
Every agent must nave an I'M
peccable reputation, must be phys
ically perfect and must be a grad
uate of an accredited law school
and admitted to the practice Of law, /
or a graduate of an accredited &C
counting school with at least three
years experience in commercial ac-
counting or auditing. So an FIJI
agent is not just a police officer
He is trained in criminal ~investiga
ton work after he becomes an agent
Of the FBI and is qualified for all
types of investigation within the bu-
reau's jurisdiction. Selection is
careful and discipline is strict.
Franklin Fireplace
Benjamin Franklin, who recog-