Salt Lake Telegram | 1946-12-30 | Page 4 | An Open Invitation to Crooks

An Open Invitation to Crooks Governor Maw hss refused to approve the extradition of a man, held la San Francisco for Salt Lake City police on charges involving the passing of bad checks totaling approximately $1000. The man Is also wanted, according to local police, for investigation of the theft of an automobile which he allegedly abandoned in Las Vegss after borrowing $78 on it It la also reported the man Is a federal parole violator. Reason given by the governor's office for the extradition - refuael is lack of atate funds. This seems to ua a pretty weak excuss. The stats does not seem to lack funds for other purposessuch ss, for instance, the financing of extended travel around the state snd the nation by various state officials, from the governor on down. That travel may be legitimate, but It is certainly no more legitimate or necessary than the punishment of law violators. Failure to extradite this man who ia wanted on charges of passing approximately $1000 worth of bad checks, and who may be wanted oa aa auto theft charge as well, amounts to an Invitation to any crook to come to Bait Lake and Utah, make a good haul, .get out of the state before police catch up with him and then thumb his nose st the law from across a stats line. If we make a practice of refuaing to extradite man wanted for tha alleged commission of crimes here we will very soon become be-come a mecca for all kinds of criminals. That would be a dangerous dan-gerous and eostly policy for the state to adopt It would prove far more expensive to the people of Utah ia the long run than the cost of extradition. These (technical) schools are teaching more and more about lees snd less. Dr. Alexander O. Ruthven, president, U. of alirhigaa.