ENORMOUS COST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 237, 7 October 1933, Page 4 (Supplement)

ENORMOUS COST.

AMERICA'S CRIME BILL OVER A BILLION A MONTH. Supporting tho hoodlum in the style to which he is accustomed costs every man, woman and child in America 150 dollars apiece each year, Major B. W. Brown, Washington, D.C., chief of police, said iu a coast-to-coast broadcast recently. Speaking over National Broadcasting microphones under tlie auspices of the United States Flag Association, Major Brown tallied the total cost of crime to the United States in one year at 13,000,000,000 dollars to buttress his argument that a unified crime crusade must be carried out. " Europe owes us 12,000,000,000 dollars in war debts, but even this stupendous sum is les<3 than what wo pay for crime," Major Brown said. "It is more than three times (he annual cost of maintaining the Federal Government, and the New York State crime commission sets the figure as high as 18.000,000,000 dollars." Lawlessness iu America, ho insisted, is not .i " wave." It is, he said, " a growth —a slow growth that has taken a long time to reach its present alarming size and festered condition. From the standpoint of crime the nation is sick—very sick. " The country is afflicted with a malignant disease which requires not only a major operation but also long and careful treatment. Tho cure will fake a long time, and will require lots of patience. But now that the people are being aroused, there is t no question the euro will be effected." Citing the vast profits of racketeers, lie estimated that " in good years " A 1 Capone | had an income of 150,000.000 dollars—2ooo times the annual salary of file President.

He defended the bulk of the American police as able and efficient, willing to fight crime to the limit if backed by public sentiment, " a strong, vigorous public sentiment for the fearless and. impartial enforcement of the law."