Mr. Belmont.

our agents are putting in an average of over 2 hours overtime a day voluntarily, the loan of 139 men will be felt.

Representative Ford.

169.

Mr. Belmont.

I believe it was 139, sir. I think the letter says 139.

Mr. Stern.

139 on 16 separate occasions.

Mr. Belmont.

Yes. I do not wish to overplay this. We are not complaining. We do feel that at such time as Secret Service is able to increase its personnel or meet this problem within the organization that it is properly their problem. But meanwhile we are following this procedure and we are not complaining.

Mr. Dulles.

I had hoped, Mr. Chairman, that at some time while Mr. Belmont was here, we could ask him to just briefly define for us, going back to the assassination day, a clear definition of the respective functions of the FBI and the Secret Service prior to and immediately after the assassination. There seemed to have been at one time a little confusion there. Naturally in a situation of this kind it always happens, but I am not absolutely clear in my mind as to----

Mr. Belmont.

At the time of the assassination?

Mr. Dulles.

Yes. Just before, I mean what your responsibilities were just before the assassination, and just after as contrasted with the functions of the Secret Service.

Mr. Belmont.

The Secret Service has the responsibility for protecting the President and his family, and the Vice President and so on. That is a basic responsibility.

Mr. Dulles.

And you have no auxiliary function to that----

Mr. Belmont.

No, sir.

Mr. Dulles.

Except to furnish names and suspects, as you have indicated.

Mr. Belmont.

That is correct. We have no function there. That is a primary responsibility and function of Secret Service.
Now, we do have what we have considered our responsibility, to furnish to Secret Service any indication of a threat to the President, and that we have done religiously.
After the assassination the President ordered us into an investigation of the assassination which changed the picture as far as this particular case was concerned.

Mr. Dulles.

You mean President Johnson, immediately after the assassination?

Mr. Belmont.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Dulles.

And there was a period there, there was a period though, after the assassination and before President Johnson took the oath of office--did this order come to you during that period or after he had taken the oath of office?

Mr. Belmont.

It was very rapid, probably within a day.

Mr. Dulles.

I see. It wasn't immediately after.

Mr. Belmont.

No.

Mr. Dulles.

It wasn't this period I am speaking of.

Mr. Belmont.

You see, Mr. Dulles, the Federal Government still has no jurisdiction over the assassination of the President. That was a murder and was within the province of the local police who immediately took hold of it and started the investigation.

Mr. Dulles.

I realize that.

Mr. Belmont.

And started the investigation and it was theirs.

Mr. Dulles.

You were only in there by courtesy. What you did was by courtesy of the local authorities.

Mr. Belmont.

Yes, sir; we went to the Dallas Police Department and immediately went into action because of what had happened, and there was no time for us to stand on priorities. But we felt we should be of the utmost assistance, and we sent men to the police department to assist in the interview and do anything else we could. This wasn't a time, of course, to sit back and say, "This isn't our job."

Mr. Dulles.

I understand.

Mr. Belmont.

Yes.

The Chairman.

Mr. Belmont, just one question. Do you know of any legislation