214 PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



law enforcement always apply. That case merely showed 

 that political pressure is a possibility that must be con- 

 sidered. 



It is to prevent even this occasional political pressure 

 that a reform in the manner of choosing the district attorney 

 is suggested. So long as he continues to be appointed upon 

 recommendation of the local political organizations, it is not 

 surprising that occasionally he will be responsive to sugges- 

 tions from the leader of that organization. 



The reform is obvious place the personnel of the De- 

 partment of Justice upon a career basis, making admission, 

 promotion and dismissal of district attorneys entirely upon 

 merit, irrespective of political affiliation. Hand in hand 

 with this policy should go one of greater control from 

 Washington and the abolition of the present local residence 

 requirement. From the practical point of view it may be 

 that the total abolition of the residence requirement is im- 

 possible, but assuredly it would be possible to substitute a 

 more general regional requirement plus the merit system for 

 the present strictly local one. 



Effectiveness of Federal Enforcement: Summing up, one 

 might say that on the whole the enforcement of federal 

 conservation laws, like that of federal laws generally, is 

 more efficient and thorough than that of state conservation 

 laws. The personnel, the administrative machinery, and the 

 methods are on the whole sound, although the two reforms 

 suggested would no doubt remove such complaint as may 

 lie against the present system. It is to be noted that they 

 are not reforms particular to conservation law enforcement, 

 but arise out of problems of federal law enforcement gen- 

 erally. 



State Game Law Enforcement: The law enforcement 

 problems of the states differ from those of the Federal 



