The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-02

To what extent does the public out
side the wall realize this? am in
side the wall and do not know.
Judge that confidence has been shaken
by the Daugherty disclosures, but /
gravely doubt that the public is pre-
pared for the further disclosures that
are inevitable.
There have, Of course, been par
tisan~ attacks upon the Republican
party and some of these have not been
justified; nevertheless prominent Re-
publicans of the more progressive
type say the party needs purging as
it never needed it before and feel it is
incumbent upon the Republican party
to take the bitter dose voluntarily
rather than have the dose forced down
its throat by democratic doctor who
hopes the medicine will kill the
patient.
Truth Stronger than Fiction.
One lesson certain to be learned by
the innocent outlander visiting Wash
ington, brought into the slightest con-
tact with the official world, is that in
Washington the incredible is some
times true. He will discover for in
stance, as did, that there is truth in
the highly colorful tales one hears of
spying and .counter-spying by detec-
tives.
Senators, congressman, newspaper
men and secret service agents will as
sure you that "the HILL" as the Capt.
toll is called, has been thoroly invest
igated.
Offices of Senator La Toilette and
others are said to have been broken
into and rifled, the object of the game
being to "get something on" the men
chiefly concerned in the investiga-
tions. Sleuths have also been sent to
the home towns Of some of the more
active foes of official principals and
it is freely reported that in at least
one instance woman was used for
the purpose of compromising gentle
man of tendencies too critical.
One member of the cabinet COM
planned to the President some time
ago that he was being Swallowed and
otherwise molested.
Espionage in its more rough and
Russian forms evolved during the war,
doubtless because Of urgent necessity,
developed practices unheard Of in the
old time secret service. These prac-
tees have been continued and a nota-
BILE feature of them is to be found IN
the fact that honest men seem lately
to have received more attention than
lawbreakers. It is, of course, COM
paratively easy to "get something on"
a lawbreaker, but not so easy to "get
something" on honest men.
Shadows" In Abundance.
If honest men were as timid as
groundhogs, few of them would be
here, for many honest men in Wash
ington see their shadows every day.
Thus, for example, the Washington
residence of Frank A. Vanderlip, who
has been of such great assistance to
the senatorial committee investigat-
ing Mr. Daugherty, is continually I'M
der surveillance and Mr. Vanderbilt
is Swallowed in all his goings and COM
ings. He has even spoken to his
shadow once or twice.
To those contemplating a trip to
Washington in the interests Of clean
government, l am able to give these
helpful hints:
Bring your talking machine with
you and play it in your hotel room
while holding confidential conversa-
tions. 1t nulliies the operation Of
the dictaphone.
If you have three telephone bells
on one line wire, tappers cannot
operate.
Have confidential letters addressed
to some one other than yourself, who
will turn them over to you.
Do not try to hide important papers
in your room when you go out. They
look under the mattress too.
Do not be deceived because you
thought your papers have not appa.
rently been disturbed. They photo.
stated them.