The Key West Citizen

MURPHY'S CRIME DRIVE

Declaring that the Federal Government will "strike hard" to purge American politics if city and State governments won't clean up of their own accord, Attorney-General Frank Murphy disclosed that the recent prosecution of Boss Tom Pendergast, in Kansas City, and the bribery trial of Federal Judge Manton, in New York, were the opening battles in a campaign which will be nation-wide. Mr. Murphy says that Government corruption starts "with slush funds amassed by vice, principally prostitution and gambling", which makes an alliance with partisan politics.

He asserts that no new laws are needed because we have all the laws and the machinery to enforce them that we need. He insists that the "forces of vice and crime, with the money they command, and their unholy alliance with partisan politics" must be tried and convicted in honest courts so that the people of this country can have faith in the honesty and integrity of Democracy.

The declaration of the Attorney-General is taken by some political observers to forecast a campaign of law enforcement against corrupt officials intended to outperform the Dewey achievements in New York. Realizing that the young Republican prosecutor in the great metropolitan city has gained political prestige by his activity, it is said, the Democratic high command would offset his accomplishments by a sterling performance on the part of the Department of Justice. If the campaign succeeds in arousing public response, it is suggested, the Attorney-General may be given a place on the Democratic ticket. This, it is argued, is if the President runs again.