Evening star., 1937-01-24
By Gene Day.

new and spotless greenbacks is
transported daily except Sun
~ days and holidays In armored
and heavily guarded trucks from the
United States Treasury to the Wash
ington Terminal where it is delivered
to the railroads as common carriers
for dissemination to various banks in
all parts of the United States.
This new money, fresh from the Fed
eral presses, constitutes essential re-
placement for similar amount OF
worn-out currency which Is received
daily at the Treasury from practically
everywhere in the country. Despite
that q total of about s6, 100, 100000 in
cash flows to and from Washington
during the year in addition to many
other billions in Government securi-
ties, stamps, money orders and other
negotiable instruments, not a single
penny has been stolen during the his
tory of the national money head
quarters bounded by Pennsylvania
avenue and Fifteenth street northwest.
Organized crime has breasted prac-
tically every legal hazard in this
OF the overlords of racketeering, race
fixing, KIDNAPPING, bank robbing and
other systems of accommodating wealth
without work. There are, however,
two hurdles which gangland and its
impeccable leaders have failed to leap
successful surreptitious entrance to
either the United States Treasury or
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
in order to purloin treasure troves of
greenbacks.
Although Samland rates far along
In the centenarian class money losses
BY robbery have been nil during the
romantic, ever-changing history Of our
major money manufactury. That IS
q record for successful watchdoggery
uneclipsed around the world. The
Pennsylvania State police are proud
Of the efficient accomplishments of
their sterling organization, as the Key
stone State now experiences but !
bank robbery annually to IS which
occur in Ohio just across the border.
II praise is owing those State guardians
Of law and order, greatly multiplied
plaudits are due United States Secret
Service which has perfected such
forceful and effective agency that
Uncle Sam has never had to write a
single red ink record because OF safe
crackers, bank busters and other
daring gentry who reap big incomes
from a highly hazardous occupation.
ONCE your correspondent had the
temerity to invade the head
quarters of Secret Service in an effort.
by brazen effrontery, to ferret some OF
the inside facts about that organiza-
ton, its personnel and functionings.
When he suggested the purpose Of his
mission to the then chief of operatives
that dignitary blasted his hopes by the
inquiry, MY friend, why do you think
we call this institution Secret Service?"
However. there are more ways than
one of skinning cat; true to tell
the active personnel were bound by
oath not to talk. However, the re-
tired men Of the tightest-mouthed
body in the world ar not so restricted.
They not only can discuss thrilling
cases in which they have participated,
but several of them have written books
on the subject. And that is all that
Washingtonians know about that taci-
turn corps of national sleuths. You
can conjecture and I can guess about
their achievements in protecting Gov
eminent fortunes, fabulous beyond
belief, checking the Vaccinations Of
counterfeiters, protecting White House,
Capitol and other Federal buildings
from hidden bombs, arson-and what
not. Their task of safeguarding the
billions in money and securities stored
in Washington is proportionally as
gargantuan as it Is Sphinxlike. Here
is a corps of many operators which
still remains q mystery to the ma
jority of us in spite Of its long life
and stirring victories.
You sometimes see huge eight-ton
armored trucks going either one way
or the other between the Treasury and
the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing. On each trip those vans trans
port fortunes in cash and negotiable
securities. When they arrive at their
respective destinations they disappear
behind clanking steel gates as though
swallowed in the very maws Of the
money fortresses. Fortress is the cor
rect word to Use In this connection as
any daring crooks will discover If ever
they attempt to trespass.
The millions, yes even billions trans
ported by gasoline and electric power,
are locked in 1mpregnable portable
safes Of the finest steel. The keys
30 the strong boxes are not carried
on the arnored trucks, but are handled
by other guards, armed to the teeth;
who travel in smaller and speedier
motor cars. The money or securities,
as the case may be, is locked in the
safe. That safe in turn with many
others is locked inside the armored
truck. The sharpshooting guards
armed with pistols, rifles, sawed-off
shotguns and machine-guns, as well
Is tear gas bombs, are also locked
In the truck. They watch what goes
on through peepholes as the truck
speeds to its destination. Particularly,
they watch for suspicious characters,
cars, or other unusual circumstances
along the route. Firearms are held
In ready position so that they can
be thrust through loopholes and
trained on any who seek to stop or
attack the truck in transit.
"A RMED guards in plainclothes pa
troll the route Of the armored
money trucks. They watch everything
and everybody which appears at all
out Of the ordinary. And they also
watch all the ordinary happenings.
For the extraordinary often develops
from the very ordinary in split sec
onds where modern crime is con-
cerned. These national watchdogs are
trained triggermen, swift on the draw,
deadly at aim. They are ordered to
shoot first and ask questions after
ward where attacks on the money