William G. McAdoo to Thomas Watt Gregory

I have been under such exceedingly great pressure that I have not had the time to reply to your letter of the 17th of April, enclosing a copy of your letter to the President in regard to my suggestion for the establishment of a Bureau of Intelligence. That suggestion was made solely in a spirit of helpfulness and co-operation, based upon an intense desire that this important function of the Government be organized along the most efficient and effective lines possible to cope with German intrigue and propaganda. If the existing organization is sufficient, all well and good; but you evidently misunderstood the purport of my letter and you have been so much misinformed as to the activities of the Secret Service of the Treasury Department, as indicated by inaccuracies in your letter to the President, that I shall reply at length as soon as I get the time. I am sorry I cannot do so now.
There is one important matter, however, which I must draw to your attention at once and that is the organization and operation, with the approval of the Department of Justice, of the Secret Service Division of the American Protective League. I cannot believe that you have personally sanctioned the formation and activities of this private association operating under the name of “Secret Service,” a name that at once falsely identifies it in the public mind with a branch of the public service in the Treasury Department. The scheme is fraught with the gravest danger of misunderstanding, confusion and even fraud, and in the public interest I am sending you my serious protest against its continuation under its present designation.“The Secret Service Division” is the title by law of that division in the Treasury Department and the term “Secret Service” has a very definite meaning in the public mind; and for that reason the Treasury Department has always strongly discouraged its use by private parties. I am consequently astonished to learn that the Department of Justice has officially approved the use by a private organization of a title, a badge and a card of identification that confer the designation of “Secret Service.” The Department of Justice has no right in law or reason to grant any such authority, especially when it opens the door to possible widespread deception of the public through the misuse of the name of a well known and distinct governmental agency.
This League is described by your Bureau of Investigation as a volunteer private organization cooperating with and following the wishes of the Department of Justice. It has been organized on a nation-wide scale with headquarters in most of the large cities of the country. In one of its letters which I have seen it is stated that its badges are sold to its employes at $1.00 each. In another city I am told that the charge is 75 cents each. In other words, for 75 cents or $1.00, membership may be obtained in this volunteer organization and authority conferred, with the approval of the Department of Justice, to make investigations under the title of “Secret Service.” Apparently the agents of this association are not selected by the Government. The Government does not exercise the absolute control over these appointments that is essential to guarantee the integrity of the organization and its activities. They are simply private citizens who, with no official status, are authorized to perform official functions. In one instance at least I know of the appointment of a man in whom I personally have no confidence.
The Government cannot escape responsibility for their activities whatever they may be, and my serious complaint is that by the use of the title of “Secret Service,” officially conferred by the Department of Justice, a private organization has been armed with a power the very existence of which in private hands is detrimental to the public interest and the public service. Not only will the public be confused by this improper use of the title “Secret Service,” but information of great value to the United States Secret Service may, under misapprehension, be given to these volunteer investigators and through them reach sources inimical to the interests of the United States. The ends of justice may easily be defeated in this manner.
Not only does this private organization use the title “Secret Services Division,” but its cards of membership contain the same designation prominently displayed, and the words “Secret Service” are written in large letters across the face of the badges it distributes. Its literature contains such terms as “operative” and “chief,” which naturally further tend to identify it with the Secret Service of the Government. If it were not for the fact that this organization had received the definite approval of the Department of Justice, I would think that its name, badge and card of membership were designed for the deliberate purpose of deceiving the public. In order to avoid this sort of confusion and deception of the public, a serious effort has been made for some time past to prevent private detective agencies and organizations from using the words “Secret Service” in transacting any of their businesses or voluntary services. For instance, through the assistance of United States Attorney Marshall, the State Comptroller of New York issued orders to all private detective agencies to discontinue the use of these words, and 32 agencies in that state announced their intention to comply with these instructions.
If this Association had been called “American Protective League, Bureau of Investigation,” or some similar appellation identifying it with the Department with which it is associated and not confusing it with a Division of the Treasury Department, of course I would have no complaint. Already much confusion has resulted, and this Department has received many inquiries from various parts of the country in regard to this Association. These inquiries show conclusively the false impression the situation is creating.
I am writing to you fully and frankly in order to invite your personal attention to the situation which is sure to lead to confusion, misunderstandings and complications. With this statement of my views before you, permit me to request that steps be taken at once to check the activities of this organization under a name to which it has no right and the use of which is fraught with so much danger to the public and the Government. I urgently ask that you give immediate instructions that the Association change its designation and withdraw and destroy at once all badges, cards and literature referring to the Secrat the “Secret Service” or the “Secret Service Division.”You will recall that during the American Revolution a voluntary organization similar in character, I imagine, to the one in question was formed under the title of “Sons of Liberty.” It committed grave abuses and injustices. This “Secret Service” division of the American Protective League contains the same evil potentialities, especially since it is operating under the sanction of the Department of Justice. I am, of course, not advised as to whether or not there is authority of law for such sanction on your part.
When any citizen can become a member of such a “Secret Service” as that formed by the American Protective League by making application and buying a badge at a cost of 75 cents or $1, you can readily see that thoroughly irresponsible and untrustworthy people may be taken into the Service.
I am sending a copy of this letter to the PresidentWilliam G. McAdooHon. T. W. Gregory,Attorney General