Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-14
GUARDING OFFICIAL WASHINGTON
BY FREDERIC J. IIASKIN

WASHINGTON. May 13.-This Is
pIopaoiy tho only city in the United
"tates where the war has worked a
s,,.rIkihs change in the appearance OF
.hings. The White House grounds,
winch have long been public park, arc
now barred and closely guarded, while
10 inc White House itself. formerly
nospitable to slghtscers. none but the
fresldents family and their accredited
bues's are admitted. Executive de-
par.hents. which formerly hung out
Signs. NO Visitors Admitted After .
r. NJ" now admit no visitors at all.
Whiie armed guards meet all Corners at
inc door. and question them closely.
very dinerent are these war time de-
parlmcht guards from the sleepy door
men OF few months ago.
The greatest change of all has come
over the War Department. Formerly
almost any one could enter. and WISH
tors and newspaper men straycd
through the halls in droves Now a
written pass is necessary. and every
visitor is led to the official he wants
TO interview by IL messenger. while
Sentrics with rifles stand nj intervals
in the halls. within tho offices there
~ such rush of business and clattcr
or typing as never before. and the
windows blaze with lights until early
morning -
Nearly 1000 troops arc engaged in
guarding public works in and about
Washington. The conduit that brings
me city It's water supply is patrolled
oS battalion and half of colored
troops. while the filtration plant and
the bridges across the Potomac are
watched by regular details of s.ntrics
The center Of the system OF guard
ing Washington is the METROPOLITAN
police department, under Major RAY
mona w. Pullman. With Il arc CO.
operating the District National I;uard
units which have been mustered into
government service. the investigation
service OF the Department of Justice
with its 900 trained operatives. tho
secret Service and the Office of Naval
intciiisencc. which is sort OF naval
detective force.
Major Pullman and tho other rcspon-
Siblc officials have made it their guild
ing principle to he prepared for III.
unexpected. So far there have been
no trouhies AT Washington in any way
receipt OF a few anonymous letters by
government officials. and the firing of
a shot into n backirinE AUTOMOBILES nv
nervous Guardsman.
Responsibility IL Great.
Bnt the officials fully realize tho
enormous responsibility OF guarding
the nations capital in time OF war
and arc prepared for every possible
emergency. full quota of rifles IS
stored in every police precint, and the
department has 100000 rounds OF am
munition. a citizen home guard sjm;
lar to that in New York has been or
ganizcd to take over tho ordinary pa
troll work In case tho police are called
10 other duty. Every point that could
possibly be considered vulnerable js
closely guarded, while the three gov
eminent detective services which have
Their headquarters in Washington make
II possible imm ediatcly to follow any
line of investigation which may suy-
gest itself.
The refinement of caution is illus
trated by detail in the standardization
OF "aShinGton's parks In the center
or Lafayette Square there Is An en-.
placement Of old iron cannon such a.
we're used in the Civil War One OF
these relics points directly at the white
House and the other at the War. State
and Navy Building. Since the dcclara
ton OF war, both of these have been
plugged.
The greatest responsibility which
falls upon the Washington police is
that of guarding tho White House
While IL is true that the Secret Service
IL charged with guarding the body
OF the President, large part of the
responsibility for his safety dcvo,v.s
upon the police; for the Secret Service
has only a few men in his immediate
presence, while the police department