Evening star., 1961-04-23
BY MIRIAM OTTENBERG
Star staff Writer


star staff Writer
Attorney General Robert F.
Kennedy said last night that
gambling is now the under
worlds chief source of income
and major racketeers are NOV
ing from one area to another to
tap new sources Of gambling
profits.
That is why, he said in an
interview, the legislation he
seeks from Congress is aimed
particularly at gambling and at
interstate travel to further
criminal activities.
He cited recent movements of
gambling syndicates from Cali
fornia to Indiana. from Cleve-
land to Miami and from various |
Midwest cities to Arizona and |
Texas.
Proposed legislation dealing
specifically with travel across
State or national borders to
promote criminal enterprises
would "giye US wide juriSdic-
ton to go against known rack
eteerS when they move from
place to place." Mr.. Kennedy
said.
FBI Could Move Fast
He said it might take local
law enforcement three or four
years to catch up with syndic-
ateS that move into their area.
With the legislation he wants,
the FBI could move in as fast
as the gamblers, he said.
One of the underlying
themes of the legislative re-
quests Is the changing picture
Of organized crime. Gangsters
whose activities in the 193OS
centered on robbery and kid
naping have put on the velvet
gloves to provide such services
as gambling. narcotics and
prostitution. And Of the three,
Mr.. Kennedy said, gambling
produces the biggest profits.
Chairman Celler of the
House Judiciary Committee
plans to introduce the travel
proposal in the House tomor-
row, bet he is known to have
substantial reservations about
the measure. He has set hear
ings for May to explore this
measure along with others in
the Attorney Generals legiSla-
tive program to combat crime.
Fiens and Imprisonment
The bill would provide fines
up to $4,000 or maximum of
five years in prison, or both,
for travel across State lines in
connection with such activities
as gambling, bootleg liquor,
narcotics. prostitution, bribery
and extortion.
The Justice Department has
turned up numerous cases
wkhere crimes are committed
in one State and the racket
promoters live lives Of spurious
respectability in other States.
The measure is aimed not
only at the racketeers who op-
crate by remote control, but
also at the underworld char
acterS who cross State lines to
collect the profits and at the
hoodlums imported from other
States to liquidate rival
syndicateS.
The Attorney Generals leg
islative proposals to deal with
gambling would strike at all its
farmS-from pinball machines
to numbers writing and off
track betting. The targets are
the tools of the trade-race
wires and telephones which are
indispensable equipment to
EbookieS and "lay-off" men,
<such gambling paraphernalia
tas sports betting forms and
Snumbers slips and gambling
smachines not covered by pres
cent law.
Since the Justice Depart
sment's organized crime drive is
kaimed at all forms of racket
<eering, Justice officials are
kknown to be concerned about
ssthe fate of another proposal
zone to protect witnesses from
underworld threats in the early
sstages Of their crime investi-
sgations.
A bill to provide stiff pen
salties for obstructing investi-
sgations or interfering with wit
snesseS has already been intro
duced in the Senate by Senator
EHart, Republican Of Michigan.
Mr.. Celler is not including
sthe measures among others he
splans to introduce.
An Open Invitation
The present law, which pun
fishes obstruction Of justice
after an inquiry reaches Con-
: gress or the courts, is regarded
by Justice officials as an open
: invitation to block investiga-
tions in the preliminary stages
: where witnesses need protec-
: tion most. .
Senator Hart said he intro
, duced the measure because, if