Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-07
Proposed Merger of Federal!
Detective Bureaus.
CAUSES MUCH DISCUSSION
Secretary Macveagh Wants Freer
Use of the Secret Service.

Secretary MacNeagh of the Treasury
has not considered. nor even approved.
any plan whereby the secret service in
his department and the nvestiga ling
division of the Department of Justice
would be consolidated, a prominent
Treasury official declared today.
While no one in either department
seems to be able TO trace the origin OF
the story which would relive Chief Will
kie of his duties as head of the secret
service, much discussion has resulted in
official circles in Washington
To emphasize Secretary MacNeagh's
attitude the following extract from his
latest annual message was quoted by
an agent of the secret service today:
Better Efficiency Desired.
The special agents force itself is one
of the most important in the government.
1t is of especial importance to the Score
tary of the Treasury. as it constitutes his
opportunity to keep independently in
formed with regard to the operations of
the customs service. I regret to say that
this service, composed of special agents
and customs agents, has not been or late
years. and is not now. at a high state OF
efficiency; and notwithstanding consider
able Improvement during the last year
1t stands in need OF radical rehabi.itatio
and OF much development. There has
recently been appointed to the head of
this service the chief of the secret service
who is now chief Of both the special
agents service and OF the secret service
with experienced assistants in each
These two services are not connected, of
course: and the fact that one man is
chief Of both will, think produce favor
able results.
Frauds in Customs Department.
The special agents service is not a
detective service, but there is constant
need OF secret service work in the Gus
toms department. as the notorious fraud
developments have made clear. The Con-
gress at the last session gave me per-
| mission to use three secret service men
In any part of the Treasury Department.
nope 1t Will now go a step further and
enable the Secretary of the Treasury to
use any OF the secret service men within
the limits of the Treasury Department.
II Is only necessary to realize the amount
OF smuggling and differentiation in the
customs service to see that the Urea sury
Department Is in absolute need of every
agency 1t has within it's own department
to say the least
| And as no harm can come from af-
fording these facilities to the Secretary
III whose department. the secret service
belongs. and as such great necessity ex-
lists for the use of this service by the
Secretary OF the Treasury outside OF
counterfeitfng, l sincerely hope Congress
Wall not refuse the privilege of using il
wherever. within the Treasury Denart.
ment, 1t may be required
Il also request that the limitation upon
the number of special agents of the
Treasury Department who can be sta.
toned In Washington may be raised in
order that in the reorganization of tina,
force provision may be made for a stand.
Ing committee Of expert examiners formed
out OF the force itself. and to give greater
pfiability and adaptability to the service u