“FAREWELL, MR. GANGSTER”

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 November 1936, Page 8

“FAREWELL, MR. GANGSTER”

BRITISH AND U.S.A. POLICE The uninformed world thinks to-day that Scotland Yard is still the world’s finest detective organisation, writes Mr. Herbert Corey in a new book, published in America, ‘Farewell, Mr. Gangster.’ Those who read the newspaper stories that the Big Four of the Yard were on the trail of the miscreants w.ho stole the trunks of gold from the Channel plane no doubt settled back happily. “The Big Four will get ‘cm,’’ the readers probably said'. “What a pity it is that we haven’t ‘'got a detective outfit like that in the United States.” I do hot propose to say that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is more efficient than is Scotland Yard, because an intelligent comparison is not possible. Each serves its end well, but they are no more alike than is Man-o’-War and a Pqrcheron stallion. Much of Scotland Yard’s well-earn-ed reputation may be credited to the writers of detective fiction before the Federal Bureau was ever beard of. The name of Scotland' Yard in a cabled story of crime automatically places that story on the first page. The Yard is the police centre of a comparatively small, densely populated,. and immensely important community. A crime story in which the Yard is interested would move all the British Isles, with consequent world publicity, whereas an identical event in San Francisco might arouse no more than languid interest in New York. . . *.

One of the foremost police authorities of the British Commonwealth concluded a visit to the United States not long ago. On the day of leavetaking he was asked to summarise his observations. “Really,” he replied, “I should not care to do that, you know—except that I might say one thing. Your American crooks alarm me. Really they /do. They are so. . . ah ; . . . extremely clever, don’t you know!” The tribute is well deserved. American crooks are brighter, faster, more brilliant than the criminals of other nations. This statement is not'prompted merely by national vanity, fqr jts truth,can be demonstrated. The' target of crime.ifc .other countries is a iaerb fli&ect, majie up of arbi-

trary terms not understandable to the outsider. Our home-grown rascals are every day coining phrases that are presently made a part of American speech because of wit or a vivid descriptive quality. There is not a boy old enough, to go to the movies who (foes not know what is meant when he hears that So-and-so has been taken for a ride. To bo on the spot is understood in the most remote seminaries. When the Government turns on the heat the newspapers report the fact in those words, and the readers are never puzzled. The slang of the English crooks is never reported, even in the pages of detective fiction. The London ‘Times’ would not think of quoting an English criminal’s patter. Apart from the loss of journalistic dignity involved, the crook would be unintelligible.

'lho equally dignified New York ■Times’ would not hesitate to put an American rascal’s statement in direct quotes, for its readers could understand it. Except for the use of trade terms, it would in all probability have some thing of the high-speed and quick-starting qualities that mark our everyday life. Our national demerits may be many, but American vigour and adaptability will hardly be questioned. These qualities make dangerous crooks. Mr. Corey does not claim that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is perfect in its methods, but he does insist that if the people of the country determine that crime not only shall not pay, but shall not go undetected, “Mr. Gangster” will certainly pay his farewells. There is every reason to believe that, after having kept at least one eye closed, both eyes are now open (says Mr. Corey). No one will doubt that the honest people can rule if they will.