Mr. HOOVER. He must never ride in an open car; that has been my
recommendation.
Mr. DULLES. The back never comes down?
Mr. HOOVER. The back never comes down, and it is bulletproof. The top,
sides, and underpart are all of bulletproof construction. So that
except by opening a window and waving through the window the occupant
is safe. A person can shoot through the window if the glass window is
lowered.
Fifth, limit public appearances by use of television whenever possible.
Sixth, avoid walking in public except when absolutely necessary.
Now, on legislation. First, I recommended that the President and the
Vice President be added to the list of Federal officers set out in
section 1114, title 18 of the U.S. Code which deals with assaults which
are punishable under Federal law.
Mr. RANKIN. You would add to that I understood from your prior remarks,
the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore?
Mr. HOOVER. In view of the situation which prevails at the present time
the Speaker and President pro tempore, in other words, the line of
succession under the Constitution but not below that.
(Discussion off the record.)
Mr. HOOVER. Second, furnish the Secret Service authority to request
assistance and cooperation from other U.S. agencies including the
military, particularly in connection with foreign travel.
Now, my reason for that is that sometimes requests for assistance have
to clear through red-tape channels here at Washington through some
high official of Government. If an emergency arises abroad, or even in
this country, it may be of such character that you do not have time to
telephone back to Washington or to telephone back to the Pentagon. Aid
ought to be immediately available by calling on the local authorities
and the nearest military authority.
Third, improve control of the sale of firearms requiring as a
minimum registration of every firearm sold together with adequate
identification of the purchaser. The problem of firearms control is
under extensive debate, in both the House and Senate at the present
time.
The gun that Oswald used was bought by mail order from a mail-order
house in Chicago, no license for it, no permit for it, no checkup on
it. The only way we were able to trace it was to find out where in this
country that Italian-made gun was sold. We found the company in Chicago
and later the mail-order slip that had been sent by Oswald to Chicago
to get the gun. Now, there are arguments, of course----
Mr. DULLES. In a false name.
Mr. HOOVER. In a false name.
There is argument, of course, that by passing firearms legislation you
are going to take the privilege of hunting away from the sportsmen of
the country. I don't share that view with any great degree of sympathy
because you have to get a license to drive an automobile and you have
to get a license to have a dog, and I see no reason why a man shouldn't
be willing, if he is a law-abiding citizen, to have a license to get a
firearm whether it be a rifle or revolver or other firearm.
It is not going to curtail his exercise of shooting for sport because
the police make a check of his background. If he is a man who is
entitled to a gun, a law-abiding citizen, a permit will be granted.
Of course, today firearms control is practically negligible, and I
think some steps should be taken along that line.
Fourth, a ban on picketing within the vicinity of the White House as is
now done at the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. Some of these pickets
are well-meaning and law-abiding individuals, some are for peace and
some are more or less dedicated Communists.
Representative BOGGS. It is illegal to picket a Federal court now, Mr.
Director, I happen to be the author of that law.
Mr. HOOVER. Yes; I am glad you had that law passed. Of course, they
picket public buildings, they march around the Department of Justice
Building, now and then, but the principal places they prefer to go are
the Supreme Court Building, the Capitol and its grounds and the White
House.
I think such picketing at the White House, of large or small groups,
should be forbidden. I think at the White House they tried to get
the pickets to walk across the street along Lafayette Park. That at
least takes them away from being close to the gates at the White
House. I think there ought to be some control. Picketing, of course,
is legitimate if it is orderly. Many times it doesn't continue to be
orderly, and sometimes pickets, as in this city, have thrown themselves
on the pavement and the police have to come and pick them up or drag
them away. Then, of course, the charge is made of brutality right away.
Delegations of colored groups have visited me and asked why I don't
arrest a police officer for hitting some Negro whom he is arresting in
a sit-in strike, lay-in strike or demonstration in some southern cities.
We have no authority to make an arrest of that kind. Under the
authority the Bureau has we have to submit those complaints to the
Department of Justice and if they authorize us to make an arrest we
will do it.
Those in general are the recommendations I made and I will furnish the
committee with a copy of this memorandum.
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Hoover, I would like to ask you in regard to your
recommendations, do you think you have adequately taken into account
that the President is not only the Chief Executive but also necessarily
a politician under our system?
Mr. HOOVER. I have taken that into account, and I would like to say
this off the record.
(Discussion off the record.)
Mr. RANKIN. That is all I have, Mr. Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN. Any other questions, gentlemen?
Representative BOGGS. I would just like to thank the Director again for
all the help he has given us.
Mr. HOOVER. I am happy to.
The CHAIRMAN. I would, too, on behalf of the Commission, Mr. Director,
I would not only like to thank you for your testimony but for your
cooperation that your people have given us throughout this entire
investigation.
Mr. HOOVER. Thank you very much.
The CHAIRMAN. I also want to add one other thing, having in mind the
testimony you gave that this is still an open investigation, that
should anything come to your attention that you believe this Commission
has either overlooked or should look into you feel free to ask us to do
it.
Mr. HOOVER. I would most certainly do that.
The CHAIRMAN. You do it.
Mr. HOOVER. I want to give all the cooperation I can to this most
difficult task you have.
Representative FORD. One question. The other day when we had the State,
Justice, Judiciary Appropriation bill before the full Committee on
Appropriations----
Mr. HOOVER. Yes.
Representative FORD. And I am not a member of that subcommittee, I
noticed a provision in the bill, as I recall, to the effect funds
for or something of that content, of FBI responsibilities for the
protection of the President.
Mr. HOOVER. There is a provision for funds that we can use for the
apprehension of a man who has been declared a fugitive from justice,
that is where a man has committed a crime, a warrant is out for him and
he has fled or where he has escaped from a penitentiary. I don't recall
offhand any specific appropriation for the protection of the President.
I will look at the appropriation bill. I may be wrong there but I am
quite certain that is so.
Representative FORD. It was my recollection as I was looking at the
bill in committee there was a phrase to this effect in the language of
the bill. I think it might be helpful for the record to get whatever
the history is of that if it is still a matter of the bill or the law.
Mr. HOOVER. I remember that at the time Mr. Curtis was Vice President,
he was Senator and then Vice President, at that time he insisted that
he wanted FBI agents with him and nobody else. When Mr. Nixon took
office as Vice President he was protected by the Secret Service and
with Mr. Johnson, it was the same thing.
Secret Service asked us to let them have additional manpower, as a
matter of assistance, and we have done so.
Representative FORD. I think it would be helpful if you would have a
memorandum prepared.
Mr. HOOVER. I will be glad to.
Representative FORD. Showing the history of this provision from its
inception and whether or not it is in the bill or the proposed law for
fiscal 1965.
Mr. HOOVER. Yes, sir.
Representative FORD. And the justification you have indicated.
Mr. HOOVER. That was not taken up, I know, in the testimony before the
Appropriations Committee. I gave the testimony before the committee in
January, and the testimony wasn't released until 2 weeks ago when the
bill was reported out. It was not discussed in the hearings.
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Chairman, in order to complete the record, may I ask
to have the number 866 assigned to the memo that Mr. Hoover is going
to send about protection of the President, and have it admitted to this
record under that number.
The CHAIRMAN. Yes; it may be.
Representative FORD. Also a number for this letter Mr. Hoover is going
to submit.
Mr. RANKIN. May I assign 867?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.
(Commission Exhibit Nos. 866 and 867 were marked for identification and
received in evidence.)