Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-13
SPENDS MILLIONS
IN SECRET WORK
Federal Government Gives Chief
Wilkes Department Near
$5,000,00O Yearly

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.--Out Of the
total appropriations Of the last con-
gress for the maintenance. of the United
States government nearly $5,000,000 will
be expended for the various forms of
the so-called secret service. 1t is true
that since the wordy war which took
place between President Roosevelt and
congress during the later sessions of
the sixtieth congress there has been an
enforced curtailment of the actual
duties of the real secret service,
for since that clash the actual
duties of the secret service division of
the treasury department have been
narrowed down to the investigation, de-
lection and prosecution of the counter
feiters. Chief Wilkes men have now
but two duties which, under the law,
they can perform-the detection of
counterfeiting and the protection of the
person of the president of the United
States. All other work of a secret or
semi-secret nature must be handled
by the specially delegated subdivisions
of the other departments.
OF the $4,7s7,340 which may be ex
pended during the current fiscal year
in the prevention, detection or prosecu-
tions of crimes against the federal gov
ernment or depredations against the
public service only $135,00 is available
for the use of Chief Wilkes corps of
seuths. The division expenses, includ-
ing the clerical force of the secret SER
vice division of the treasury depart
ment, are but $16,120 in addition to the
allowance for pay and expenses of the
detective force.
WILKES FORCE is SMALL
Chief Wilkie is privileged not to tell
Just how many men he has employed
in ferreting out the counterfeiters. once
when he appeared before the special
congressional committee appointed to
examine the expenditures of the Sec
ret service he told them that his force
numbered about fifty-six men.
This statement came as surprise to
the general public, for there was q
prevalent suspicion that the secret
service of the United States govern
ment was a far larger organization.
Chief Wilkie will not now give out a
statement of the exact number of men
doing work for his division. In this he
is within his rights, for, as he ex-
plains It, to persons from whom he Is
most desirous of concealing the actual
number of his employees are those for
whom his force are seeking night and
day.
Within the same department, the
treasury, there are two other secret
services. Both of these services have
larger appropriations than the secret
service division. They are the bureau
of internal revenue and the customs
service.
In the general appropriation for the
maintenance of the customs service
there is specific mention made of the
fact that of this amount $150,000 may
be expended in the detection and prose-
cution of frauds against that service.
For the internal revenue bureau "a
similar sum is specified as applicable
to secret service purposes.
These three items constitute the to-
tai of the possible expenditures under
ordinary conditions for actual detec-
tive work in the treasury department.
GUARDING THE MONEY MILL
The treasury department manufac-
lures the money for the nation. 1t also
has under it, directly, the printing OF
all postage and revenue stamps.
Around the great plant of the bureau
of engraving and printing are thrown
hundreds of safeguards. Devices to
prevent theft of money, stamps or
other valuable and negotiable paper
are numerous. The system costs much
and in the general upkeep of the bus
mess of safeguarding Uncle Sans
treasure IL mas an hhpolt taHI pl1So'
The amounts thus chargeable are not
specific and it is not the province of
the casual Investigator to seek out the
items of non-specific protection
| expenses. The specific bill is big
enough as it is without so doing.
Next in Importance to the triple de-
tective forces of the treasury depart
ment come the special agent forces of
| the department Of justice. Before
Roosevelt's fight with congress 1t was
the custom for the treasury depart
ment to lend its detectives to the de-
nartment of Justice. This is no longer
POSSIBLE. There is now law against
this, and so the department of justice
has had to organize its own detective
force. Chief Examiner Stanley W.