The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-08-09
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so quietly that only a few officials
know it but congress now is being
guarded by the most elaborate po-
lice system since World war days.
The legislators are protected almost
as carefully as the President.
The first step was taken last fall
when detail of Omen and detec-
tives was assigned to reinforce the
Capitol's regular police force, which
is made up chiefly of patronage ap-
pointees, students working their way
through school. Then in the spring a
squadron of metropolitan uniformed
police was sent to the Hill-making
q total of $50 blue-coats and plain
clothes men guarding 531 senators
and representatives.
Last week, still another protective
measure was taken in the form OF a
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 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 recur-
renee of the bombing that took place
in the Capitol prior to American en-
try into the last war. Planted in a
senate reception room by paci-
fistic 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
perpetrator 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.
Haz WILKES SPEECH H
That acceptance speech Wendell
Willkie is writing is once 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 q G. o. P. standard bearer: the
power issue and foreign policy.
Even under normal conditions the
power issue is pure TINT, particu-
larly in the West, which is strong
for public power. For Willkie, with
his Wall Street and utility back
ground, the handling of this issue SO
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, Wil1kie has never declared him
self 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 on
aid to the British, the Presidents
record is an open book. And so was
WILKES until he was nominated.
Since that moment not one word
has come from him on this all-in-
portant topic, though he has talked
daily on various other matters.
It didn't leak out at the time, but
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 isolationist
sales talk; warning him to pipe
down on aiding the British. But
Willkie sidestepped the bloc and they
didn't get chance to put on the
pressure.
Note-Regardless of what Willlkie
says, running-mate Sen. Charles Nc
Nary is isolationist and pro-public
power. He intends to say so in his
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 LaF gillette Senator Bob, who is
up for reelection this year, and ex-
Governor Phil, who since his defeat
two years ago has been quietly pro-
noting a tFuehrer-principle" kind
of organization which he launched in
the spring of 1888 with lot Of fan
fare.
Bob LaFollette faces tough bat
tie. Three key voting blocs in the
state are the large German Scandi-