Evening star., 1953-05-05
Alignment Against Crime

Several years of inquiry by congressional
committees into the causes of and means of
preventing crime in Washington will reach a
climax today when the first of series of public
hearings will be held on more than two-score
proposals for legislative remedies. Representa-
tives of all agencies concerned with law en-
forcement here will express their views on the
pending bills. The prospect of effective action
is exceedingly encouraging to those who have
been shocked by recent upward crime trends
in the District.
One reason for the optimism of the law
abiding citizens and for the gloom reported
pervading underworld circles is the remarkable
unity with which local law enforcement au-
thorities will support so many proposed new
laws or amendments at the hearings. With the
exception of the controversial plan for reducing
discretionary sentencing powers of the judges,
most of the drastic suggestions for cracking
down on the citys gamblers, thugs and other
hoodums have widespread official and popular
backing. The teamwork even extends to Con-
gress, as is evidenced by the decision to hold
Joint hearings of the Senate and House District
subcommittee. The joint sessions will make
for a clearer picture of crime conditions and
of the shortcomings of the present laws and
enforcement machinery.
Bulk of the bills is contained in the omni-
bus Davis measure, drawn up by the House
investigating group of which Representative
Davis of Georgia was chairman. About IS pro-
posed new laws or changes in existing laws are
included in the big bill. In addition, there are
eight bills drawn up by a Senate group which
was headed by Senator Nicely of West Virginia.
Both committees conducted extensive and re-
veaing Investigations of crime in the Nations
Capital. Some of the disclosures made in the
hearings already have brought grand jury and
administrative actions against a number OF
police officers-some of them still pending.
But the studies showed that more was
wrong with law enforcement here than official
attitudes There were frustrating weaknesses
In the laws relating to gambling, narcotics,
weapons, dives and numerous other matters.
The majority Of the recommendations deal
with plans for Tightening up on anti-gambling
and narcotics enforcement, with making 1t
more difficult for criminals to obtain weapons,
with means for putting the crime-spawning
after-hours drinking clubs out of business, etc.
Apparently the chief bone of contention
among those who back the bills in general is
the provision for mandatory minimum sem
tences for some of the more aggravated Of
fenSes. The courts traditionally are jealous of
their authority to judge each case on it's merits
and to exercise wide discretion in imposing
penalCleS. CHleL Judge LAWS VI CHe OISIIlCI
Court and his associates are opposed to the
mandatory sentence plan. But the Judges must
face the fact that some of them brought upon
themselves the criticism of congressional in
vestigators and of many other persons and
organizations by their failure to exercise their
discretionary authority wisely in all cases.
TOO many criminals have found it rela-
lively easy to escape adequate punishment for
their crimes here-as The Star has brought
out in numerous articles. 1t is true that re-
Gently some of the judges have been handing
out more consecutive sentences in multiple
charge cases than in the past, when concurrent
sentences were the rule rather than the excep-
ton. The question agitating those who favor
mandatory sentences in some instances Is
whether all the judges can be relied upon to
deal more sternly with hardened criminals
than they have been wont to do in years past.
AS long as leniency prevails toward men with
long records the public demand for less dis
cretion and more hard d-and-fast penalty rules
for judges will continue.