Speed & Spine

When pious Frank Murphy of Michigan took over the Department of Justice from Homer Stillee Cummings of Connecticut, more than 100,000 cases were on the dockets of its U. S. District Attorneys. Many (mostly civil cases) had been there for two years or more. On his dramatic "inspection tour" by airplane three weeks ago, which was followed by the indictment of Democratic Boss Tom Pendergast of Kansas City,* Mr. Murphy commanded his D. A.s to show speed in clearing those clogged dockets, and spine in resisting political pressures that might be exerted to delay or deflect cases pending against potent malefactors.

Last week uprighteous Mr. Murphy gave the first party of its kind ever staged by a U. S. Attorney-General. He assembled 85 of his 94 District Attorneys in Washington and addressed them in person. Said he in accents almost presidential:

"The future of democracy today is so much less certain than it was a half century ago, for example, that we must be alert and vigilant not just some of the time, but all of the time; not just about some of the things that make democracy, but all of them.

"The vicious cycle of depression and mass insecurity has brought the usual demands for repression of minorities. . . . Meanwhile, those who deny that liberty is an essential of human happiness are ridiculing democracy as unworkable. We must show them how wrong they are. . . . One of the best ways to do that is to make civil liberty a reality for every one in our midst, no matter how humble or how great." And Frank Murphy went on to impress on his D. A.s the importance of his Department's new Civil Liberties Unit.

Two days later Frank Murphy set an example for his District Attorneys by courageously mentioning the name of a rich and potent man: Moses Annenberg, owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer and of racing sheets and services which are invaluable to bettors and bookies from coast to coast. In 1937 Moe Annenberg reported an income of $7,000,000. Some people believe that his income is the country's largest.

Although Moe Annenberg is an arch Republican in Pennsylvania politics, one of his lawyers, at a fat fee, was Homer Cummings' good friend, Democrat James Bruce Kremer.

Moses Annenberg was in Washington last week, waiting to talk with Attorney-General Murphy. Mr. Murphy announced that Mr. Annenberg's taxes would be discussed, that "more than $500,000" was involved. Lest reporters jump too hastily to the conclusion that a major demonstration of speed & spine was about to be given, he added: "Tax delinquencies are not all criminal. Income-tax cases that are indictable must be after an effort is made to defraud the Government. ... A compromise, of course, is possible, but that is up to the Attorney-General."

*Last week the Federal Grand Jury which indicted Boss Pendergast for evading income tax on $315,000 of alleged boodle from insurance companies grateful for his political help, was shown by Assistant District Attorney Sam C. Blair how Boss Pendergast, whose racing stable showed $24,485 profit in 1936, lost $74,159 betting on horses with a Newark, N. J. bookie in November 1938, won $43,566 in December, owed the bookie $34,000 when records were seized two months ago.

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