SECRET SIX

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1932, Page 5

SECRET SIX

"THEIR WAR ON CRIME

A PRIVATE AFFAIR

CHICAGO MOVEMENT

Chicago's "private war" on crime is exciting keen interest in New York and other cities where racketeering has become a civic menace, writes Raymond Morle3f, Professor of Public Law at; Columbia University and research director of the New York State Commission on the Administration of Justice, in the "New York Times." If any considerable proportion of the people of Chicago really want Alphonse Capone blotted out of their daily budget of human interest, they must be filled with disappointment these days as ■jey look down long vistas of complicated legal entanglements. The most optimistic view now is that the war against Capone'3 .forces must continue until late in.1932, perhaps later, that victory is by no means certain, and that the solace of peace without victory is impossible. ' ~'•■• Capone was indicted early in. June for evading the payment of income taxes and for conspiring with sixtyeight, others to violate the Prohibition. Act.- His pleas of guilty to these indict-ments'.were-the occasion of loud re joic-. ing; "but when the time came for him to be sentenced, his lawyer pointed out to Judge Wilkerson that, the-pleas of guilty had been made.after conferences •with the United States District Attorney, and with the understanding that recommendations as to punishment would •be made to the Court. When Judge Wilkerson-declared, "It is time for somebody to impress upon this defendant that it is utterly impossible to bargain with a Federal Court," Capone moved hastily to re-establish the status quo ante. .On 31st June his motion to withdraw his plea of guilty to income tax e\"asion was granted; on Sth September the motion to withdraw the plea of, guilty to-conspiracy was also granted, and a. new trial was held. NO MORE MONEY. The external manifestations of these prosecutions were the work of public authorities, notably Federal officials. It is, however, not clear to those outside of Chicago how much of the basic work and driving power of the prosecutions are due to private initiative. Capone himself has pointed to this fact in ■what' enterprising journalism' called his ■ "swan song." While it is quite obvious that this composition is full of. extravagances, it stands, as an excellent testimonial to the importance,of such private activities as the Secret Six. Capone said, in commenting on his original pleas of guilty: 'The Secret Six have licked the • rackets. They 'ye licked' inc. They 'ye made it so there's no Inoney in the game any more." This private war on gangsters, is indeed: one of the most interesting features of present-day Chicago. Three important organisations are engaged in this work: The Secret Six, the Employers' Association, and the Chicago Crime Commission. To those outside of Chicago, the Secret Six seem like a band of sinister "public reckoners." Actually they are hard-headed business men, members of' the Chicago Association of Commerce. They are the directing body of a committee of thirty-six, the Citizens' Committee on the Prevention and Punishment of Crime of the Chicago Asso- j ciation of Commerce. Moreover, the Sec- j ret Six are not strictly secret. Their names, are known .to .the public; but the journeymen operatives of the organ- : isation, "ten or more" men, are not : only, it is hoped, unknown to the under- • world, but unknown to each other; ; hence, perhaps, the explanation of the name of the Secret Six. : "WORKTOGETHER. '■' Th 6 group,'headed by Colonel Eobert Isham Randolph, began to function last winter. Directed by an expert investigator, Alexander G. Jamie (a former employee of the Federal Government), the operatives collect evi.derice against criminals in co-operation with public officials, the Chicago Crime Commission, and the Employers' Association. The .suppression of racketeering, of professional, crime, such as bombing and bank robbing, of gambling ana organised vice, and of communism is their objective.. To this end they send out" detectives, not only in Chicago but to .many parts of the country, for it is One -of their fundamental ideas that since the master gangsters work on a national scale, efforts to combat them must be similarly broad in scope. ■ Co-operation by such an organisation with public ; authorities in- the gatheringof evidence, is by no means, difficult. . Police and prosecutors are almost invariably delighted to receive outside assistance if thereby they can relieve themselves of work and responsibility. It. is impossible to indicate the extent to which this co-operation has. gone, but it is probable that there has been more ■with Federal authorities than with those;of~cjty and State. - ■ ■ The Secret Six may possibly have a most useful future. If, as Capone reproachfully says, it has; "licked" him, ■ it may exterminate some of the lower forms of gang life. On the other hand, there., is real.danger, according to Colonel Randolph, that the destruction, of Capone's power will plunge the underworld of-Chicago -into internecine war;' this,- in fact, is the contention of the wily Capone himself. Again, earnest and efficient work on the part, of the Secret Six may act as a-spur .to apathetic and iuept public officials. But the force of shining example is usually wasted on those for whom it is meant.' Unless miracles happen, it is move than likely that the officials will "co-operate" with a yen- . geance and- turn over their tasks to an increasing extent, to he Secret Six. , Finally, it is possible that the Secret Six may ; educate the public by giving it some sense of a mysterious power bringing malefactors to -justice, though there may be some question whether, in this connection, their work is as valuable: as that of the Chicago Crime Commission.,