William G. McAdoo to Woodrow Wilson

In the Army and Navy both there is need of secret service work, and the Secret Service of the Treasury Department is being called upon from time to time to render assistance to these Departments. This character of work, as well as that required by the State Department, does not necessarily conflict with the work of the Department of Justice. With an earnest desire on the part of that Department to cooperate, there ought to be no difficulty whatever about this question.
I enclose a letter from the Secretary of War indicative of the kind of service that is being requested from time to time by different Departments. I also enclose a report from Secret Service Operative Callaghan to Chief Flynn, dated Boston, June 29th, in reference to a request by Captain Benjamin E. Grey, United States Infantry, for assistance of the Secret Service in organizing a separate intelligence service for the Army. It seems to me unwise to create a new secret service agency when the present one, sufficiently enlarged and utilized, is best equipped for the service.
I think the public interest is being hurt by the failure to organize quickly the necessary intelligence work in the Army and Navy and in our international affairs. The Secret Service of the Treasury is the best highly trained detective organization in the United States. It is not only the oldest in point of service, but it is the most efficient. It would be a pity if its usefulness in the present crisis should be impaired by petty jealousies. I do not want to assume nor trench upon any part of the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice or of any other department. To make use of the Secret Service to the extent desired by the State, War and Navy Departments will not involve any conflict of jurisdiction.
I do not know what to do about the applications of the Army and Navy for assistance, but I am sure, if you will authorize me to give the assistance they require, that I can work it out with them and the Attorney General. So long as the matter is left in abeyance, as at present, there will be unnecessary misunderstandings, with appeals to you about details with which you ought not to be annoyed. The Attorney General is a fine fellow, and you know how genuinely attached I am to him. He is, like the rest of us, overwrought with heavy responsibilities, and I cannot believe that he has been able to go fully into the record of his own Bureau in this matter or he would not have shown such sensitiveness on the subject. In all of the departments we are, of necessity, obliged to rely greatly upon our subordinates, and they do not always steer us right. I have taken the time to investigate the activities of my own Secret Service and it is, for that reason, that I speak with positiveness about the correctness of its conduct and attitude upon the major points involved in the present controversy. As you know, the Secret Service is charged with the duty of protecting the President. In running down threats against you the clues lead at times into investigations which develop matters that come properly within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice. In all such cases my instructions are, and the practice has uniformly been, to bring them as quickly as possible to the attention of the Department of Justice. We are anxious to cooperate with that department, and I am sure can cooperate with it once you decide what it is you want the respective departments to do.
I would suggest that you give the Secret Service of the Treasury Department authority to perform such service for the Army and Navy and State Departments as may be required in the present crisis. This was done in the Spanish-American War, and there is no reason why it should not be done now. If you take this action you can direct me to be very careful to bring to the attention of the Department of Justice, as promptly as practicable, all matters which the Secret Service may discover in the course of its work for the State, Army and Navy Departments affecting the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice. If you will at the same time request the Attorney General and me to consult and adjust the details, we can get rid of a matter which is now producing unfortunate and needless friction and is hurtful to the public interest. I am most anxious to avoid this sort of unpleasantness, not only for your sake, but as well for the Attorney General's comfort and my own.
The way things are going now, the Secret Service of the Treasury which, as I said before, is the oldest and most highly organized detective force in the country, is prevented from rendering the full measure of needed and useful service of which it is capable. The longer the matter is allowed to drift, the worse the situation will become.
I submit this suggestion in lieu of my previous suggestion for the organization of a Bureau of Intelligence to deal generally with the problems arising out of the war and which did not seem to meet with your approval, since no action has been taken on it.
May I ask you to return the enclosures when they have served your purpose?