Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-14

! now has hfty-cight men in tho White
House and about it's grounds They
arc picked members OF tho force. and
some OF them arc invaluable for this
par.icuiar WORK because OF their wide
acquaintance among public men, Being
aole to identify Cabinet officers and
other government officials by sight. thcv
| save great deal Of delay in admitt,nr
these. >e
Extra Police at Back.
In addition to the policemen inside
the White House and those that guard
al 'ne entrances to the grounds. u
Gordon OF police is thrown around the
nigh iron fence which separates the
back OF the White House grounds from
Potomac Park. These men arc not
VISIBLE TO the public. and do not CON
.rol any gates, they arc there solely
10 prevent any one from entering the
white House grounds unseen.
numerous other special duties have
,aiien upon the Washington police OF
late Ever since the beginning OF tho
European war they have had a spcciaI
detail at each embassy Rcsponsi.,
bility' for the safety and welfare OF
the distinguished visitors who Just left
washington was theirs. They guarded
the French and British missions dur
ing every minute Of their stay i'm Wash
lnBton. They received them at the sta
tion. held crowds at a safe distance
from their carriages in all of their.
movements. kept Il Gordon OF seventeen
men around their residences day and
night, and even secured the services or
IL high class French chef for General
Joffre.
In order to make tho mctropolitan
police adequate for its increased duties.
Congress has granted il an increa
Of 100 men. So far. fifty Of these have
been employed. In order to maintain
the high standard necessary for tho
"a frr
we're examined. Eighty-nve of these
were found eligible. and from this num-
Der the NIFTY men needed were chosen
Washington police receive higher
salaries than those Of any except IL
few Of tho largest cities in the coun-
try. and this high rate OF pay liz neces-
sary in order to secure tho right typo
Of man. For a Washington policeman
has tn" most varied and unusual duties
The handling of sightsccrs, distin-
guished visitors. and cranks arc all
difficult details Of the days police work
in Washington. There is probably no
city in the country where il is moro
difficult To toll who is who
Identification !, DimcuIt.
Senators who look like ,ramps. for
ctSn diplomats who resemble strays
from some Of New York's foreign quar-
who turn out to be lunatics at largo
are among the pitfalls in tho path OF
the Washington policeman. He avoids
them in part by being very polite TO
every one. regardless Of age, sex. color
or state Of intoxication. 4 Wash!nE~
ton drunk may he just drunk. or lo
may DO some one uf Importance re-
Taxing from tho cares Of official life
Again. tho Washington policeman
must specialize in giving directions.
II" Will tell YOU exactly how TO get
where YOU want to 60. and IL Nc docs
not know he will look the matter up
in little book which he carries This
service is absolutely necessary, for
while the plan OF Washington is simple
after you get used TO II. tho May DAY
visitor from small town in West
Virginia finds IL extremely confusing.
In guarding the numerous govern
mcnt bureaus. the police dcpa rtment
has been supplemented by a special de-
tail of the clerks OF each bureau
Thcse men have been put in uniform,
given rifles. and placed under the direr-
ton of the police. There is no branch
OF tho government service. no matter
how unmilitary it's character. which
you may enter without cncountcr;ng
an armed man and close questioning
about your business. Nothing alarm
ing has happened In Washington. and
II caution and thoroughncss can pre-
vent II. nothing IL going To happen.