Evening star., 1936-03-08
SECRET SERVICE MERGER
STARTED l8 MONTHS AGO
Law Enforcement Consolidation Out.
growth of Coordination, Which
Has Already Shown Worth.

diate jurisdiction OF a separate statu-
tory bureau, and, as Morgenthau points
out, "the statutes appear to contem.
plate that each agency shall act in
dependently of the others in the en-
forcement Of the laws Congress has in
trusted to it, and within jurisdictional
boundaries established by enactments
which go back in some instances more
than three-quarters Of century,"
Redistricting Necessary.
Nor does the physical arrangement
IF the forces of the several agencies
.end to lessen administrative difficult
ties. For example, the Secret Service
operates in 81 districts outside Of
Washington; Bureau of Narcotics, 16;
Alcohol Tax. IS, and Customs Agency,
l3. And with rare exception these dis
trict lines overlap. Any reorganization
consequently will call for a rediStrict-
ing.
Just how far the consolidation legis-
!ation will get at this session of Con-
gress is problematical, although every
effort is being made by the Treasury to
satisfy dissenters and speed 1t along.
At the outset there were protests
from the State Department. and medi-
cal and drug associations, which it has
since been sought to cure by amend
ment where possible.
The apprehension of the State De-
partment was aroused by the fact that
the Bureau of Narcotics was set up
under international drug treaties at
Geneva and officials were uncertain
whether some conflict might not arise
with these agreements under reor-
ganlzation. The bill was reworded,
however. to make certain that these
relationships would by no stretch of
the Imagination be disturbed, and the
State Department withdrew its OBJ
lection. The same thing was done to
iron out questions raised by the Amer
ican Medical Association. but distaste
for the measure has been registered
still by the National Association of
Retail Druggists and the American
Drug Manufacturers Association.
These feared the legitimate drug in
dustry necessarily would be subjected
to a highly undesirable surveillance
II it were put under the jurisdiction
of a policing group, but the Treasury
has insisted that this would not come
to pass and that the existing regu-
latory practices of the Narcotics Bu-
reau will be undisturbed.
Drug Interests Fear Change.
Incidentally, it developed at hear
ing on the bill that has been intro
duced by Chairman Doughton, Demo-
crat of North Carolina, of the House
Ways and Means Committee, that the
drug interests are highly satisfied with
the present operation of the Narcotics
Bureau. and are fearful Of any change.
Treasury chiefs have explained,
however, that no organic change is
to be made in any of the groups that
would come into the consolidation,
but simply that it is desired to CO.
ordinate their functions where they
cross.
The Coast Guard would not be
brought into the new arrangement.
but improved working arrangement
is contemplated there, also, with
three Coast Guard officers detailed
to the division to serve in liaison
capacity whenever it is necessary to
employ the Coast Guard.
Summing up, Secretary Morgenthau
says that the legislation will per-
nit the unification of all Treasury
police activities and centraliZation
of responsibility for such activities
not only at the seat of government,
but everywhere in the field. At the
same time. it will allow flexibility i'll
adjusting the organization engaged
in police work TO meet the constantly
changing methods of violators Of the
revenue and counterfeiting laws. 1t
will undoubtedly increase greatly the
efficiency of the Treasury Department
in performing its basic function oi
safeguarding the Nations revenues
and currency"