New-York tribune., 1909-01-01
WON'T CALL PRESIDENT
SECRET SERVICE INQUIRY.
To Be Searching Information
Song from Departments.

Washington. Dec. s1.-That the inquiry By trs
Senate Committee Appropriations into the
methods OF the Secret Service viii be searching
and comprehensive in its character was auth0ri-
tatively stated to-day by Senator Hale. acting
chairman of the committee. The announcemenr
was called by intination that the inquiry
might be prolonged until after March 4. 10 permit
the summoning OF President Roosevelt before the
committee private citizen 10 testify regard
ing the operations of the Secret Service branch
of the government.
While saying that. far he knew. there
foundation for this report. Senator Hale
said that the various departments of the govern
ment in which Secret Service known
Re employed had been asked TO furnish in
formation the subject and he added that. while
he had doubt Of their compliance with this
request. they would. if necessary. be officially
called by Senate resolution. He also said
that the inquiry would be made quite independent
~ Of the Presidents structures. 1t is understood
that the committee Will begin its work as soon
after the holidays the information from the
department is received
After saying that the investigation would not
be conducted in a sensational way, but after tho
fashion Of care and deIIberation that generally
characterizes Senate inquiries the Senator said.
The extent and use and the k4d Of worE PEI
OF the heads of certain departments have greatly
and startlingly been amphed during the last few
jhe attention Of the Senate and ~ the foundation
only secondary in its Importance as affecting this
Investigation. The course TO pc pursued by the
President and is not by any rneans the result
OF his message The work OF me - eoiLlL'tee NIL MI
message. nor is there any intention. as has been
5a5ef MaTc5 o. doubt it u has ever
entered into the mind of Of the most lrnagina-
to caH ali upon President Roosevelt as witness
whsG he hsc9mSs s on tb adjournment Of
Congress for the holidays, as acting chairman o5
the Senate res 5lution directing the investiga-on
10 The heads OF tiys dI1ersnI aepaTJnents eoyegIn
ing the work Of the Secret Service force OF tho
Under the different heads of the resolution be sent
at early day as possible to the Committee On
The work covered by tins service in the depart
tpents Is ia+se, fn @ 10 ans rs &C., nar yet eii7 b %
that the head of any department, either ny his
motion or by instruction, will decline to furnish
the facts which are sought for. Should there be
any delay. however, the committee Will undoubtedly
Senate directing the heads of the different de-
.t 1llael~ 90 fursti f r rtit5 bl, the senate
as IS customary IN all such cases When this in
believe that it win be vithheId-the committee viii
thoroughly examine into T. and either by SUD
arrange II in form for report to the Senate as 10
and ramif"ations Of the Secret Service in all
parts of the government . .
The subject is Of that uaEnitIde that it. demands
thorough sXpgstiGn @ al tis r GoRIa[IyeE % fo n ~
tfagr IN s9d G 6r the pu6 at arge The rerv
limited Secret Service of the government began in
small 3nT'Tt tE-'I}tS anu n ~tNf iNl'V- dll.
livery. ;c@o'r1 'o i2Eg7s - tios . % com n
believed =. u -. t'ss his hes zen e gTeas
is alarming and dangerous and beyond the legltl-
mate functions Of the general government. Whether
this IS not so the investigation ought 70 dl7-
close.
There Is very little I'm the Senate investigation
that has 10 do with intima tiOns that members OF
Congress in either House have been sh9dowed or
spied upon by emissaries in the Secret Service.
doubt whether the President believes that senator's
Representa- rlves Unduy sensitive upon this.
ana ms MESA ge, when carefully read. does not
bear out the proposition that members of Congress
were improperly Influenced IN their votes restricting
the Secret Service because OF any crImlnaIlty on
their part. the exposure Of which was feared
Whenever the results of the fnvestiga ti0n by the
committee laid before the Senate the whole
subject will be for the action Of that body, and
while as have said. the investigation viii be con
Quoted IN Il sensa tOnal way. II VIII. think.
the Senate great body Of very tnlpor-
tant information upon which the Senate viii act In
its wise discretion.