7. Has aided in the location and/or identification of missing persons, amnesia victims, and unknown dead: (a) military casualties; (b) airplane crashes; (c) steamship disasters; (d) fires; (e) suicides; (f) accidents and drownings; (g) other violent deaths.

The Identification Division also cooperates with local and State authorities in searching the fingerprints of applicants for positions of various types where fingerprinting is required by State statutes or local ordinances, such as: (a) municipal and State employees; (b) applicants for liquor licenses; (c) applicants for admission to the State bar; (d) taxicab drivers; (e) hotel employees; (f) restaurant workers; (g) migratory seasonal employees.

In recent years there has been a widespread trend toward the passage of local legislation requiring the fingerprint screening of such individuals. As a result, the Bureau has experienced substantially increased fingerprint receipts in the applicant category during the past several years' period. The extent of this growth is evidenced by the following statement:

Retention of applicant fingerpint records.-On May 27, 1954, the Bureau approved certain recommendations bearing upon the retention of applicant fingerprint records in the files of the Ident'fication Division. Prior to that time, applicant fingerprints were returned to the contributing agency subsequent to search and handling.

The new procedures were instituted, since certain definite benefits will accrue if such prints are retained in the Bureau's centralized depository of fingerprint records. They would serve as a basis for affording potential leads in fugitive matters and related Bureau investigations, in such instances where no criminal records are on file. They would be of value in missing-persons cases, and in those involving unknown deceased and amnesia victims.

The institution of this new policy, however, will create an additional filing, indexing, administrative, and auxiliary fingerprint work on the part of our Ident fi ation Division staff, representing the equivalent of approximately 50 employees on a full-year basis.

Activities relating to training and inspection

The Training and Inspection Division is charged with the responsibility for supervising instructional courses for all types of FBI personnel and other lawenforcement officers, and for promoting, formulating, and development efficiency in the application of field investigative techniques. The scope of activities through which such objectives are attained comprises a wide range of indoctrination methods: New agents' schools: in-service training; maior case forums; conferences and regional training school for law-enforcement officers throughout the United States; and the FBI National Academy.

Changing world conditions, new legislation, and the constant evolution of criminal and subversive activities highlight the need for specialized training in particu'ar fields of investigative endeavor. Consequently, the FBI training program over the years was developed on the basis of exigency, experience, and a recognition of a higher than average educational base.

New agents' training extends over a period of 16 weeks' and 3 days' duration. It covers intensive courses of instruction in respect to approximately 175 variously related sub'ects. Ability and good character are requisites for employment; performance and achievement the only grounds for promotion. The type of training afforded offers ample opportunity to examine and observe the aptitudes of individual students and their ability to adapt themselves to changing situations as they arise. Special emphasis is placed upon the importance of protecting

and preserving the rights of individuals who may be the subject of investigation by the FBI. To this end, courses of instruction include civil rights, ethics, constitutional law, professionalism in law enforcement, as well as the laws of arrests, searches, and seizures.

FBI National Academy.-The FBI National Academy, founded July 29, 1935, offers courses of instruction for law-enforcement officers throughout the United States and its Territorial possessions. The 54th session, which ended November 19, 1954, brought the total number of graduates to 2,904. Approximately 20 percent of the Nation's cities of 100,000 or more population now have FBI National Academy graduates as heads of their law-enforcement departments. The demand for attendance at the Academy continues to be heavy, indicating that State, county, and municipal officials regard such training as a sound investment in law enforcement.

Through the efforts of the FBI National Academy, untold dividends have been returned to the Bureau in the form of assistance rendered by local officers to our field investigative staff throughout the country. The effectiveness of the Academy has prevented the formation of a national police; it has crystallized investigative efforts on a national scale; and has fostered cooperation among local, State, and Federal law-enforcement officers.

Inspection program.-Auxiliary to its training responsibilities, the Training and Inspection Division has continued its exhaustive program of inspection and planning, both at the seat of government and throughout the field. This activity, functioning on a continuous day-to-day basis, is designed to improve performance for the purpose of reducing costs and to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of overall activities. Over the years, this program has been productive of substantial accomplishments and has resulted in extreme curtailment of all operating expenditures.

Under its inspection and planning machinery the FBI is equipped with the necessary mechanism to effectively and logically resolve existing managerial weaknesses, both of an investigative and administrative nature, and to adequately enforce recommendations bearing upon suggested or desirable improve ments. Physical condition and maintenance, administrative operations, investigative operations, personal supervision, and adequacy of investigative contacts are all carefully considered during the course of an inspection. Records and Communications Division

The Records and Communications Division acts as the nerve center for the maintenance of more than 4 million case files and other data accumulated by the FBI through its investigative and auxiliary responsibilities. It functions as a correlating unit for the dissemination of derogatory and subversive information to official sources legitimately entitled to such data. The subject matter of all reports, investigative leads, and complaints is consolidated and completely crossindexed for immediate reference purposes. No other comparable source of centralized security data is in existence.

During the fiscal year 1954 the Bureau processed an aggregate 1,587,454 name searches through its files. This overall total included some 1,261,405 searches for approximately 80 agencies of the Government pursuant to specific requests under various official "screening" programs. The information thus made available through this means represents an extremely effective preventive measure, and one that has played an important contributory role in further strengthening the defense of the Nation on the home front.

A minimum of 2,020,544 name checks will be received by the Bureau during the fiscal year 1956 (increase over 1954, 27.3 percent). The great bulk of this volume is based on estimates furnished by agencies for whom such work will be performed.

In substance, the augmented 1956 commitments will be occasioned by increased referrals from the following Government sources:

1. Air Force and Navy: (a) Due to increases in Air Force personnel and implementation of security measures by both the Air Force and Navy.

2. Coast Guard: (a) General tightening up of security regulations designed to protect harbors, ports, and other vital waterfront facilities from subversives and gangsters.

3. Secret Service.

4. State Department: (a) Due primarily to administration of the Refugee Relief Act of 1953, approved August 7, 1953, which program, according to the State Department, is expected to attain its peak during the fiscal year 1956,

5. Immigration and Naturalization Service: The Immigration and Naturalization Service has indicated there will be a substantial increase in name check referrals resulting from an unexpected number of petitions for naturalization filed by:

(a) Individuals who have entered the United States under the displaced persons program;

(b) Wives of United States military personnel who have entered this country after being married abroad; and

(c) Petitions filed by noncitizen members of the United States Armed Forces. Auxiliary to its normal commitments, the Bureau has constantly been called upon to undertake new name check responsibilities, because of requests arising from sources not previously encompassed within the scope of this overall program. As an indication of this trend, it is noted that subsequent to the preparation of its budget estimates for the fiscal years 1955 and 1956, the Bureau was advised of several proposed new security screening programs under consideration in respect to activities affecting the operations of the Small Business Administration; the Federal Communications Commission; the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security; and the Intelligence Branch of the Army. The latter programs, if ultimately approved, must necessarily be undertaken on a reimbursable basis, since no funds are provided therefor in the Bureau's direct appropriations for the fiscal years 1955 and 1956.

FBI Laboratory

The FBI Laboratory was established in 1932 for the purpose of rendering technical and scientific investigative assistance to our field investigative staff, other Federal agencies, and local law-enforcement organizations throughout the country. Today, it ranks foremost among the outstanding criminalogical laboratories in the world. The heavy demands placed upon our scientific personnel have attested to the increasing recognition of the value of such services.

During the fiscal year 1954, scientific examinations of all types referred for handling numbered 126,518, an increase of 4.5 percent over the previous 12-month period. These examinations were performed pursuant to 26,571 requests involving 112,675 individual specimens, the greatest volume since the peak years of World War II.

The assignments in question relate to a wide range of activities having application to both general criminal operations and, more particularly, high-priority intelligence matters vitally affecting the national welfare.

Auxiliary to its normal functions, research and developmental work is carried on in continual exploration for new scientific devices or techniques which may be potentially susceptible of use as investigative aids. On-the-scene technical assistance is furnished on the more important cases in which scientific know-how and specialized equipment play a predominant role-all of which are of inestimable assistance in the solution of a case. In addition, the Radio and Electrical Section is charged with the responsibility of engineering long-range radio communications circuits, including transmitting, emergency power and receiving equipment.

The current period of international unrest will assure heavy responsibilities for an indefinite future period. In line with the Bureau's experience, as indicated by the consistent upward trend in volumes during the past several years' period, it is estimated that our 1956 commitments will exceed those in prior years by amounts ranging as high as 11.2 percent, as follows:

FIELD JUSTIFICATION

General statement.-For the fiscal year 1956 the Bureau of the Budget has approved an amount of $88 million for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This will provide for an overall field staff of 8,840 full-year employees (5,637 agents and 3,203 clerks), and represents an increase of 811 full-year field employees (517 agents and 294 clerks) when compared to the personnel staff approved for 1955.

However, included within this overall staff increase of 811 employees are 706 full-year employees (450 agents and 256 clerks) who are actually employed during the fiscal year 1955, but who are being financed by reimbursements in that period. For the fiscal year 1956 funds for this same group of 706 fullyear employees have been included in the Bureau's direct appropriation, which arrangement will replace the reimbursable method of financing in effect during

1955.

The increased personnel for the fiscal year 1956 is occasioned by the Bureau's continually increasing responsibilities in its many spheres of security investigative endeavors. This need has been aggravated by a corresponding upward trend in most major offenses arising from violations of the Federal criminal statutes.

Of major importance is the requirement for an adequate field staff to effectively cope with various aspects of internal subversion, associated with, or growing out of, activities relating to communism; espionage; internal security and counterintelligence operations; front organizations and foreign nationality groups; prosecutions under the Smith Act of 1940; investigative ramifications concerned with enforcement of the Internal Security Act of 1950; and other investigative activities related to the internal security of our country.

Effect of antisubversive legislation. The scope of the Bureau's investigative jurisdiction has been further broadened because of the enactment of various types of antisubversive legislation during the closing days of the 83d Congress. The enforcement of these statutes will ultimately enlarge the security responsibilities of the FBI to a considerable degree, although the extent and timing of this expansion cannot now be predicted with any reasonable sense of accuracy. Six new laws in this category will particularly affect the Bureau's security work and are of especial significance. They include:

1. Public Law 637, 83d Congress, approved August 24, 1954: This legislation (Communist Control Act of 1954) strips the Communist Party of its rights, privileges, and immunities and brings “Communist-infiltrated” organizations within the purview of the Internal Security Act of 1950.

2. Public Law 600, 83d Congress, approved August 20, 1954: This legislation grants immunity to witnesses who invoke the fifth amendment against self-incrimination in proceedings relating to the national defense.

3. Public Law 703, 83d Congress, approved August 30, 1954: This legislation (Atomic Energy Act of 1954) amends the substantive acts of 1946 and 1950 so as to permit the licensing of private enterprises to engage in atomic energy research and development activities for peacetime purposes.

4. Public Law 557, 83d Congress, approved July 29, 1954: This legislation requires the disclosure of Communist Party printing facilities.

5. Public Law 772, 83d Congress, approved September 3, 1954: This statute (Expatriation Act of 1954) strips American citizenship from Communists and others convicted of conspiring to overthrow the Government by force.

6. Public Law 777, 83d Congress, approved September 3, 1954: This statute (Espionage and Sabotage Act of 1954) broadens and extends existing statutes relating to espionage and sabotage.

Overall picture.—On April 1, 1955, there were pending in the entire field service 89,842 investigative matters of all types, of which 18.96 percent were in a delinquent status. On the same date, each special agent in the field was carrying an average assignment of 16.28 cases. Our experience over the years has indicated that a per capita workload assignment not in excess of 10 cases per man at any one time is normally commensurate with the most productive functioning of our field staff.

On the basis of the best information currently available, it is estimated 496,449 investigative matters in the general criminal, civil, and security classifications will be referred for action under the Bureau's direct appropriation for the fiscal year 1956. This figure is exclusive of reimbursable applicant-type investigations to be referred from various Federal agencies and departments. On a comparable

basis, the preceding 1956 estimates represent an increase of 11 percent when compared with investigative volumes actually received during the fiscal year 1954. The Bureau's investigative staff has been critically overassigned for the past many years. In a geographical sense, our manpower is spread exceedingly thin: there is only 1 agent to each 26,000 inhabitants of the United States; and there are only 2 agents to each of the 3,070 counties in the country.

We have been able to keep abreast of our many responsibilities solely because of the fact our agent staff has made tremendous personal sacrifices: During the calendar year 1954, our investigative personnel will have performed voluntary uncompensated overtime to the extent of an estimated 2,888,462 hours (daily average, 2 hours), representing the equivalent manpower of 1,389 men on a fullyear basis. In other words, each agent averaged approximately 40 hours' overtime (or 1 extra week's work) per month, the cost of which, at basic rates of pay, would have been $9,932,334 had it been necessary to employ additional manpower to handle this work.

Communist Party-USA

Smith Act of 1940.-Eighty-two top Communist Party leaders have been convicted to date for conspiracy to violate the Smith Act of 1940. To date, 73 of the 82 convicted have been sentenced to serve prison terms totaling 316 years and 1 day, and to pay fines of $426,000.

While prosecutions and public exposure admittedly have had a disrupting effect on the Communist Party-USA, the Communist movement in the United States continues to represent a formidable fifth column threat. Its militant, hard-core membership has remained unalterably loyal to Communist revolutionary aims, despite increased public antipathy. This nucleus has been implemented by a reservoir of sympathizers, fellow travelers, and others who, because of fear, have ostensibly ceased party affiliation-all of whom constitute a fertile source from which the party organization can draw for ideological and financial support in time of stress.

Communist-front organizations.—The Communist Party-USA has turned to the use of front organizations in an ever-increasing degree to achieve its fundamental conspiratorial objectives.

Since many of its functions have been vested in these subsidiary groups, it is not sufficient to gage the activities of the Communists through the party per se. It is essential, therefore, that the Bureau's counterinvestigative measures encompass the full scope of the Communist-front program.

General criminal operations

A substantial portion of the Bureau's aggregate overall workload commitments are concerned with Federal violations of major criminal statutes which, by reason of prevailing high crime rates, reflect upward trends in most classifications of activity within the investigative purview of the FBI. Such increases are generally governed by the crime incidence throughout the country as a whole and are felt by all levels of law enforcement.

Crime picture.--An estimated 2.267,250 major crimes were committed during the calendar year 1954, a rise of 5 percent over calendar year 1953. Of the total volume, rural areas registered an 8.3-percent increase, while crime rose 4 percent in the cities.

The gravity of the problem is indicated by the accelerated pace of the recurring crime pattern: An average day during this period embraced 256 felonious assaults, 49 rapes, 185 robberies, 1,422 burglaries, 592 auto thefts, 3,674 larcenies, and 34 deaths by murder or negligent manslaughter.

The participation of youth in crimes against property, based on reports from 1,389 cities of over 2,500 population, is spotlighted by the fact that while only 9.7 percent of all persons arrested during the calendar year 1954 were 17 years of age or less, this group accounted for 18.7 percent of all robberies, 26 percent of all violations involving receipt of stolen property, 43.6 percent of all larcenies, 49 percent of all burglaries, and 57.6 percent of all auto thefts.

Statistical accomplishments.-The unrestricted pursuit of criminal activities is apparent, moreover, in the Bureau's record of investigative accomplishments for the fiscal year 1954: By comparison with the corresponding 1953 period, convictions increased 652 (+6.6 percent), sentences imposed exceeded those during the previous year to the extent of 2,345 years (+9.4 percent), fugitives located increased 288 (+2.1 percent), and additional stolen automobile recoveries numbered 606 (+4.4 percent).