Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-29
MEN IN HIGH PLACES
LIKELY TO BE INVOL web
Millions Diverted From TreasuE
Into Pockets of Wrongdoers.
PICKINGS OF NEW YORK RING
Party Leaders Endeavor to Balk In.
vestigation Of Frauds and
Seek Head of Col
lector.

William Loeb, jr.. collector of
the port of New York, is up
against the greatest fight of hi,
life.
And the United States govern
ment is just beginning to get into
the edges of the most colossal
nest of grafters and thieves, Off
cial and unofficial, in the history
OF the government.
This much is admitted by the
Treasury Department. And there
are conditions that threaten to in
volve many men in wrongdoing
before they are laid bare to their
last appalling detail.
Against William Loeb, former
ly secretary to Theodore Roose-
welt, are arrayed the most tre-
mendous influences. Foremost
among them, according to Treas
ury information, is the Sugar
Trust, which benefited to the ex-
tent of millions of dollars in short
weights by customs inspectors.
Aiding the Sugar Trust is the
regiment of customs officials and
importers who have for years
benefited by a system of short
weighing and grating, by whicl,
the government has lost untold
millions of dollars.
Loeb Invokes Highest Aid.
The fight against Mr.. Loeb will be taken
to the White House and to Secretary
MacVeagh. There is no doubt OF this in
the minds OF well informed Treasury of.
ficials.
If Mr.. Loeb cannot be made to bite tho
dust, then something Is likely to happen
to scores Of men who already see the
shadow of prison bars and get a glimpse
of feIon stripes
With Mr.. Loeb out Of the way some in
formation already acquired may be lost
to public usefulness. If he Is discredited,
as is the plans OF those now fighting him,
the great graft combine may fool the peo-
pie into believing that all this talk OF
cleaning up the customs house in New
York Is just SO many words. spun out for
tuc yd"llNS COluIlNS OF newspapers.
But there will be soidly back of the
collector OF the port of New York the ON
Gals Of the Treasury and the President OF
the United States. Mr.. Loeb has kept in
touch with the Treasury and White
House. He has authority to continue the
housecleaning he began when he entered
Office and which he desires to continue,
irrespective of who may be hurt.
AS far as Is possible, too. the Treasury
Department Is working hard to get at
facts. Under the law 1t cannot use the
secret service.
Detectives Of this service were able to
aid in just such situation as this until
Congress stepped in and confined their.
work to the detection Of counterfeiters. as
originally contemplated when this branch
OF the government was created. The
Treasury Department has been greatly
hampered by the inhibition OF Congress.
not only In its customs investigations but
in information desired along some lines
in Washington.
AS nobody in the Treasury will talk for
publication and as the Investigations now
cled the fringes of the giant graft COM
bine, II Is difficult to ascertain In what
directions the trails lead.
Hints are In the air that offlcials or en-
ployes In Washington may be involved to
serious extent. The reticence OF every
body concerned prevents leakages
While Secretary MacVeagh is still at
his summer home in Vermont he Is per-
sonally directing efforts to cooperate
with Collector Loeb. He is expected back
in Washington next week. Then he will
personally take charge. communicating
with President Taft all that may be dis
covered.
Machine Politics in New York.
Mr.. Loeb was appointed by President
Taft for two reasons-ftness for the post
and because OF his thorough knowledge
OF New York politics-so that he might
become the Presidents right-hand man
In a state Of the most complicated poll
tics In the United States.
At the beginning Of his administra-
ton Mr. Loeb created furore In republi-
can machine politics In New York, when
he dismissed and reduced a number of
customs employees who were the very
wheels of an. organization little better
than Tammany, so far as clean and de-
cent politics was concerned. Many who
lost out were district and other leaders
They were bred In the politics OF a city
by both machines. When they lost their
pull at the government graft they lost
what they felt belonged to them.
They saw Tammany politicians pulling
down thousands of dollars Of the money
OF the taxpayers Of Greater New York.
while here was a man seeking to deprive
them of the fats" they had long en-
joyed from Uncle Sam.
The bond of sympathy between the
Tammany ward politician and his proto-
type Of the republican machine Is too
strong to be broken at q single blow by
the clean leaders of the republican party.
Loud complaints went up against Mr..
Loeb and were carried to the White
House. The President was told three
ago that Mr.. Loeb was running
the republican party in New York city
by his actions.
A number Of republican congressional
OF New York and Brook
yn set up walls and personally de-
Mr.. Loeb. Their supporters had
been led to believe that under his re-
gime In the customs ONCE Nckjngs would
DO at least a. good - in ne QaSt ~