Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13

ury Department? On inquiry. however.
We found that when a man IN the secret
service is transferred or loaned or de-
tailed the man employed in that service
is no longer paid out of this appropri-
alton.
No New Oath Taken.
But I say. notwithstanding he is en-
ployed thereafter by another department
paid for by the other department. and is
not required to take the oath of office.
during all this time he remains on the
rolls OF the secret service. is under the
control of the chief of the secret service
and makes his report to the secret service.
This provision is not intended as an
evidence on the part of the committee of
it's disapproval SO much of the employ
ment of secret service men, wherever
they are necessary in other departments.
as it is TO emphasize our disapproval of
the practice of this use of the secret
service. which is the most important
branch of the secret service work of the
government and which Is limited exclu-
sively TO the detection of counterfeitins
and the protection of the President.
IF this provision prevails the people
in the secret service will have their Serv-
ices limited to the object for which the
service was created. I will say that the
people employed i'll that service welcome
that provision because it tends te elevate
and StandardiZe the service and protects
them from the unreasonable prejudice
that exists throughout the country against
the secret service of the Treasury Depart
ment Those people are not opposed to
this provision, as We are. to stop the
practice that now exists You will see
from the testimony of Mr. Moran himself
that he would be very glad to get rid of
the matter of keeping men on the rolls
for the purpose of supplying requests of
this kind. whether they deemed the serv-
ice necessary or not
IF the departments actually need Sc
Cret service men hereafter this provision
does not interfere with their obtaining
them. They will have the same opportunity
then that they have now They have no
right and cannot justify the practice
which has obtained here for the last few
is necessary for secret service work in
order to supply men in other depart
ments.'
Representative Bennet's Remarks.
AT this point Representative Bennett
of New York announced that he would
make point Of order against the pro-
vision. although he sympathized with the
efforts of the committee. He thought a
certain amount of secret service work
had to be done by other departments and
that borrowing secret service men was the
best way.
Then the case. referred to in commit
tee hearings, but expurgated from the
printed document of the naval officer
tigated with the result that he was fired
from the navy. was referred to on the floor
in general debate. although the names
of the parties were not mentioned.
Without telling any Names" said Mr..
Bennett Il am ready to state the facts,
Here is a case where a naval officer of
previous high and irreproachable charac-
ter. so far as the department knew. was
absent on leave. There came to the
office of the acting secretary Of navy
one day very estimable lady of Wash
ington, d. c., who charged that gentle
man with abducting her daughter. The
Secretary of the Navy exhausted the or
binary means within the navy Of ascer-
tanning the whereabouts of that officer
Was not her daughter a married wo-
man?' asked Judge Smith of Iowa.
That makes it worse replied Mr.. Ben
nett. amid laughter by the House.
But she was a married woman" in
sisted Judge Smith.
Certainly said Mr.. Bennett. After
the Secretary had exhausted all the means
at his command he called in either one
or two secret service men who simply.
after a lapse of a few days. reported to
the Secretary Of the Navy"
"A few days of shadowing. I suppose
the gentleman means" sarcastically re-
marked Mr.. Smith.
Il do not said Mr.. Bennett. After
a few days investigating to find out
where he was. they reported that he was
at a certain place. and there their connec-
ton with the case ended. The Secretary
of the Navy sent for the naval officer and
he was subsequently separated from the
service"
Mr.. Sherley Takes q Hand.
Then" suggested Representative Sher-
ley of Kentucky. whenever a charge is
made against an officer. on leave or not
on leave. that he has been guilty of con-
duct unbecoming an officer and gentle
man. the Secretary of the Navy is war
ranted in employing the secret service
men to shadow that man in order to
prove whether those charges are well
founded or not?''
Not at ALL" replied Mr.. Bennett, and
I do not SO state.
At this point Mr.. Sherley threw a bomb
shell into the gathering.
THE gentlemen" said he. may be
aware of the fact that this secret service
at one time was used for the purpose of
looking into the personal conduct of a
member of Congress. notwithstanding the
gentleman seems to think, from hrs pre-
to no one"
II am not aware of anything OF that
kind" replied Mr.. Bennett.
! But that was the fact" said Mr.. Sler-
ley
Mr.. Smith of Iowa told the House that
the secret service division was created
by an appropria ton in 1882 and, after
certain gross abuses of it, about twenty
five years ago. a provision was put into
the appropriation that 1t should be used
for the enumerated purposes and for no
St1ay~ vuyho