'G' Men1935

Bruce J. Gregory:
[addressing a congressional committee] The state police cannot combat these criminals, neither can the city police. The law prohibits them from pursuing criminals across state lines. Now, with the automobile and the airplane, these gangs can get from state to state in a few hours. When Hugh Farrell died in that slaughter, he didn't even have a gun to defend himself. A federal agent is not permitted to have a gun. He can't even make an arrest without first obtaining a local warrant. Gentlemen, give us national laws with teeth in them, covering the whole field of interstate crime. Permit us to work with full effect with the state police agencies, and these gangs will be wiped out.

Congressman:
What laws do you need most?

Bruce J. Gregory:
Make bank robbery and kidnapping federal crimes. Make it a federal crime to kill a government agent, or to flee across a state line to avoid arrest or to avoid testifying as a witness. ARM YOUR AGENTS, and not just with revolvers. If these gangsters want to use machine guns, then give your special agents machine guns, shot guns, tear gas, everything else! This is war! Now, understand: I don't want to make them a group of quick trigger men, but I do want the underworld to know that when a federal agent draws his gun, he's ready and equipped to shoot to kill with the least possible waste of bullets.