The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-26
SECRET SERVICE UNCHANGED
Lively Debate in House Over Llmlta-
tions Placed on Men.
Representative Bennett Leads right
Following Presidents Plan 10
Extend the Service.

The House Of Representatives by
vote Of 70 III to 15S-yesterday refused
20 strike out OF the sundry civil appropria-
ton bill the limitation upon the activi-
ties Of the Secret Service division OF the
Treasury Department
Il was this limitation. forbidding the use
Of Secret Service agents for any purpose.
except those prescribed by law, which IS
To detect counterfeiters and protect the
body OF the President, which led the
President 20 send his famous message
impugniug the motives Of Congressman
IN voting for il, and il was this message
which Congress promptly declared 70 De
q breach OF the privileges OF the House
which made the first open break between
Congress and the President, which was
not Iessened to-day
The action Of tire House was preceded
by debate. bitter and humorous By
turns, in which the Secret Service, indi-
vidually and as an organization, was the
object OF some hard knocks
1Ir. Bennett, OF New York. read para
graph from President Roosevelt's mes
sage. which Ted his colleague. Mr. Waldo.
10 ask if the matter which the House
had declared 70 be an invasion OF its
privileges and laid on the table could be
quoted IN debate.
Mr.. Capron. OF Rhode Island. who was
in the chair. thought il could be.
Mr.. Bennett agreed with the President
that the restriction did operate 10 hamper
the detection OF crime. and ne paid tri-
butte TO the Secret Service This opened
q battery fire
Judge smith. of Iowa a men 'er o.
the Committee on Appropriations, led OF
with this.
1T is common knowledge. speaking o.
/ the bouquets thrown al the Secret Ser
vice men. that one Of the requisites o.
/ the. common detective Is that he shall bt
a common Tar In twelve months sftel
/ these worthless detectives had been re-
moved from the De artnlent OF the IN
{ terror. Secretary Irfield testified tha
( he unearthed land frauds 20 the extern
( Of a hundred million, that they had beer
! unable 10 discover IN all the years the!
I had been in charge.
Nowhere. save in the vaingloriou!
( bosstiugs OF WiIkie. and the testimon,
I Of men who know nothing about H. d.
! I find anything OF the value Of this ser
vice
I AIr. Driscoll. OF New York. ironically
challenged the statement Of Mr. Smith
I that Secret Service detectives were cheap
men. having reference II the iargs sums
spent for their maintenance
{ Then Mr. Driscoll went on TO say thai
! the detectives were trained criminals, and
that when they were not engaged in de-
/ tecting crime they were engaged tn com
hitting crime
I Mr. Tawney. chairman Of the COMMITTEES
on Appropria tons told the COMMITTEES
I that not a single head OF a department Of
I OF the Official representing a department
: who appeared before his committee with
I the single exception OF Chief -Wllkie
( whose activities were limited by the pro
{ visions. had made a complaint that there
had been any difficulty experienced by
him in the enforcement OF the law OF de
I lection Of crime The whole agitation
+ discussion. and excitement OF the pas
two months. said he. is the result OF Z
campaign originated and conducted bl
I John E Wiikie. chief Of the Secret Serv
{ ice division"