(Testimony of James J. Rowley)
Mr. Rowley.
go to Russia or a Communist country indicates that he has pretty strong convictions against, the United States, or else there is something questionable about his mental processes.
I would think that fact alone would make it important to watch his activities when he came back.
Mr. Rowley.
It would. And I think the FBI properly conducts the investigations, from the standpoint of internal security, and furnishes us a report. And then if there is something in the report that indicates he could be a risk to the President or the Vice President, we could take it from there.
Representative Boggs.
Mr. Rankin, I have to go to a meeting in 2 or 3 minutes. There is just one question I would like to ask before leaving.
Is it not a fact that probably the greatest deterrent that you have is the very fact that the public knows that there is a Secret Service?
Mr. Rowley.
Yes, sir.
Representative Boggs.
That you do guard the life of the President. And that the chances of an assassin escaping with his own life are pretty remote. So this psychological weapon is one of the things you rely on?
Mr. Rowley.
That is correct.
Representative Boggs.
And you must necessarily keep a degree of secrecy about the methods you employ.
Mr. Rowley.
Yes, sir; otherwise they could develop counter methods, to thwart anything we might set up.
Representative Boggs.
Exactly. Thank you very much.
Mr. Rankin.
Chief Rowley, do you in the Secret Service obtain the benefit of cooperation with other governmental agencies in the protection of the President?
Mr. Rowley.
We receive cooperation from every agency. If I may name a few--we were scheduled to visit Puerto Rico in 1948 or 1947--I am not quite certain--with President Truman, who was then vacationing at Key West. We had no office in Puerto Rico at the time. We did not know the situation other than that it could be sticky because of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico.
(At this point, Representative Boggs withdrew from the hearing room.)
Mr. Rowley.
Our advance man called me and asked me if I would not talk to Mr. Hoover to see whether or not we could have the assistance of some of their agents who were down there in an office established there. And I communicated then with the Assistant Director, who said, "I will get back to you" and got the approval. That was an example of the beginning of the cooperation, when I was at the White House, with the FBI.
Now, in the years subsequent to World War II, anytime we were abroad, I made personal contact with Mr. Dulles, and I think for national security we should go off the record on this, because this is something that pertains today.
(Discussion off the record.)
The Chairman.
Back on the record.
Mr. RANKIN, Now, Chief Rowley, are you familiar with the provisions in the appropriation act with regard to the FBI concerning their protection of the person of the President?
Mr. Rowley.
Yes.
Mr. Rankin.
You know of that, do you?
Mr. Rowley.
Yes; I do. Historically, that was first passed in 1910. It stated that because of the limited number of Secret Service men at that time, that appropriation--a certain given figure was to be used by the U.S. marshals to assist the Secret Service.
Mr. Rankin.
Was the Secret Service opposed to that provision in the appropriation act for the FBI?
Mr. Rowley.
No; it has never opposed that provision over the years. I Started to say, Mr. Rankin--subsequently, after the founding of the FBI, this was transferred, apparently, from the marshals to the FBI, and it has been in the appropriations as long as I can remember. We have never objected to that appropriation.
Mr. Rankin.
Now, there is some language in H.R. 4158, I understand, which deals with the permanent organization of the Government that you are objecting to; is that right?
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