Evening star., 1937-08-01
By Lucy Salamanca.

1nRtOn Tor VISITORS ana one OF
i the most carefully guarded
centers of interest is the De-
partment of Justice, particularly that
part of the building which houses
the records of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation. Here, in manner
that rivals the vigilance of the G-men
themselves, Federal guards protect
records, personnel and building against
all intruders-mankind itself and the
elements.
More than 500 visitors day make
their way through the entrances of
the great white stone building on
Pennsylvania avenue and present re-
quests for an inspection tour. Some
come armed with letters from Con-
gressmen. Others simply drop in on
= the impulse of the moment. Still
others arrive in excited groups, such
as school or college organizations, that
to the home of the G-men.
During the 1887 fiscal year $4,000
visited the building This was exclu-
sive of $4,000 enthusiastic Boy Scouts,
who. from July l to July 10, during
the National Boy Scout Jamboree.
filed into the building and excitedly
made the rounds of its beautiful COR
ridors and courts.
Considering that 81 526 individuals
a high average-visited the new
Archives Building, next door, during
the same period, one can gain an
Idea Of the unusual interest on the
part of the public in the Department
OF Justice.
These thousands of visitors present
a problem of no mean proportions to
those charged with the protection and
safety of the Justice personnel and
property. The efficient manner in
which that problem is met and solved
Is the direct result of the devoted
vigilance and exceptional training of
a group of men whose activities have
taken on something of the same
glamour as that surrounding the
activities of Mr.. Hoover's G-men-
the Federal guards.
All Federal buildings are patrolled
and policed, but among the most in
teresting OF guard forces is that which,
under the authority of Capt Elliott
Hoagland, is responsible for what is
known as the "A J. and P group
another way of saying the Archives,
Justice and Procurement Buildings.
And since Justice houses the head
quarters of Capt. Hoagland and pre-
eents particular problem in manage
rnent, there is no distinction, In the
opinion of the men. like that of being
member OF Capt. Dicks" forces.
CAPT. HOAGLAND has been SOL
dier most of his life, so he is
right in his element when it comes
to training, disciplining and delegat-
ing men to such duties as form the
daily routine of his staff of guards.
In the A.. J. and P. group he has under
his direction l captain, lieutenants, s
sergeants and 81 guards. OF this
number, lieutenants, sergeant and
IS guards take care of the Department
of Justice.
Every one of these men is highly
trained. Ninety per cent Of them
are former service men, graduates
from the Navy, the Army, the
Marine Corps or from the Police and
Fire Departments of the District
Each has been appointed from the
regular Civil Service register, care
fully chosen for intelligence, physique
and general aptitude to become men,
bers OF this especially selected GUS
todial force of the Government. Each
begins his service with a course of
training in school under men in the
active custodial service, and continues
these studies from time to time
throughout his whole period of service.
Their duties are the protection of the
building-which necessitates regular
patrol work with an eye to police and
fire protection-and handling the vast
ttrongs who visit it annually. Each
man works eight hours day, and
there are three reliefs to assure con-
tinuous patrol, day and night.
The first relief goes on at IL O'Clock
midnight and operates until 8 o'clock
In the morning. The second patrols
from am. until pm, while the
third relief works from pm. until
midnight
So efficiently do these men operate
that kind Of tradition has grown
up. This has, of itself. aided in pro-
lection Of the building, for it is
brave or foolhardy man or woman
who, IN the face of the specialized
efforts of Capt Hoagland's crew,
would attempt to charge the gates
Of Justice without being properly forti-
fed with legitimate errand.
As result, very few arrests are
made in q year, and there is seldom
occasion for those little unpleasant
nesses that make up the routine OF
many protective forces.
This has not been achieved without
. concentrated effort being made
to organize so that every emergency
is aticipated. There is an array of
DellS OF varying tones ana QualltleS
that are guaranteed to arouse q man
day or night to any specific need
that may arise within the building.
Likewise, there is complicated and
uncannily effective patrol board in
capt. Dicks" Office that keeps head
quarters and men In constant con-
versational touch every instant Of
the day and night. There is, too, a
fire-control panel and a fire-warning
system that represents the last word
In robot control of mechanical forces.
THE best way to gain an idea Of
the efficient work of these Fed
eral guards is, perhaps, to follow an
individual from his civil service ap-
pointment to actual duty within the