The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-08-09
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CONGRESS UNDER GUARD


so quietly that only few official
know it but congress now is bein
guarded by the most elaborate pc
lice system since World war days
The legislators are protected almos
as carefully as the President.
The first step was taken last fal
when a detail of Omen and detec
tives was assigned to reinforce tn,
CapitoPs regular police force, which
Is made up chiefly of patronage APP
pointees, students working their way
through school. Then in the spring q
squadron of metropolitan uniformed
police was sent to the Hill-makine
q total of $50 blue-coats and plain
clothes men guarding 53l senators
and representatives.
Last week, still another protective
set of drastic regulations under
which:
The Capitol is closed to the
public daily at 4:30, except when
congress is in session, and adj
mittance is only by special
cards.
Guards are stationed at the
subway entrances of the senate
and house wings to scrutinize
everyone going in and out and
to examine all packages.
The Capitol's power plant is
guarded "a hours a day.
Plainclothes men accompany
every group of sightseers.
All persons who summon
members off the floor are kept
under constant surveillance.
A constant police vigil is kept
in the public galleries, in the
restaurants, and at night, in
all corridors inside, and the
grounds outside.
One reason for these elaborate
precautions is to prevent a recur-
renee of the bombing that took place
in the Capitol prior to American en-
try into the last war. Planted in
senate reception room by a paci-
fstic college professor, the bomb ex-
ploded at midnight, July 2, 1915,
and left the chamber a shambles.
Earlier that day the Washington
Times received a letter from the
announcing his intention
to bomb the capitol "as an exclama-
ton point to my appeal for peace"
He was arrested several days later
at Mineola, L. I. He committed sui
eide in his cell.
WILKES SPEECH
That acceptance speech Wendell
Willkie is writing is one of the tough
est jobs he's ever tackled! It can
make him or break him.
Willkie has got to crack two OF
the hardest political nuts ever hand
ed G. 0. p. standard bearer: the
power issue and foreign policy.
Even under normal conditions the
power issue is pure TINT, particu.
larry in the West, which is strong
for public power. For Willkie, with
his Wall Street and utility back.
ground, the handling of this issue sc
it doesn't explode in his face is
doubly delicate.
Perhaps even more difficult is the
question Of foreign affairs and its
closely related problem of compul
sorry military service. On the lat
ter, Willkie has never declared him
seR and the Republican platform
also is silent.
Roosevelt has declared for "uni
versal training" although so far he
has not expressed a view on the
pending bill. But his leaders are
for it and it's generally considered
an administration measure.
On foreign policy, particularly OF
aid to the British, the President,
record is an open book. And so wa.
WILKES until he was nominated
Since that moment not one wore
has come from him on this all-im
portant topic, though he has talkec
daily on various other matters.
1t didn't leak out at the time, blu
when Willkie visited Washington
early last month, the G.. o. P. iso
lationists, led by Senator Vanden
berg, tried to corral the new candi
date and give him a big isolationis
sales talk; warning him to pip,
b down on aiding the British. Blu
Willkie sidestepped the bloc and the,
didn't get a chance to put on thu
pressure.
NOte-Regardless of what Willki
says, running-mate Sen. Charles Nc
Nary is isolationist and pro-publi,
power. He intends to say so in hi
acceptance speech late this month
THE LaFOLLETTES
In the current pre-campaign jock
eying for position, both Republican
and Democratic chiefs are warily
watching Wisconsin's famous broth
ers LaFollette-Senator Bob, who il
up for reelection this year, and ex
Governor Phil, who since his defea
two years ago has been quietly pro
noting q "Fuehrer-principle" kline
Of organization which he launched il
the spring of 1888 with a lot Of fan
fare.
Bob LaFollette faces a tough bat
tie. Three key voting blocs in tn,
state are the large German, Scandi
navian and Polish groups. Obvious
" playing for the favor of the frs
two, Bob was q very active isola
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