Jim Poor: Where’s your precedent? (to Judge Dykeman). That’s right, Judge,—I beg your pardon, Your Honor,—got to have a precedent for it, hasn’t he?
Judge Dykeman: Certainly, he should.
Father Creedon: Perhaps he has.
Jim Poor: Go ahead, let’s hear it; but the United States has nothing to do with it.
Gordon: Why not? It studies questions less important. It maintains experimental stations in every State and Territory where scientists investigate preventive measures against the ravages of insects and fungus growths.
Travesty (interested): You mean the Department of Agriculture?
Gordon (taking book from case and turning the leaves): I do. Here is the annual report in your library. If you want to know anything about the eradication of ticks on sheep—hog cholera bacillus—the chestnut-bark disease—the control of pecan scab by spraying—worms in dried fruit, the gypsy and coddling moth eradication—the Department of Agriculture has bulletins and rules and even laws to regulate these matters.
Travesty: What of it?
Gordon: This! To regulate these blights and pests it costs the Federal Government twenty million dollars a year.
Travesty: But what has this to do with crime?