New-York tribune., 1910-10-23
F00LING UNCLE SAM
4 Practice That Wins -4dmira-
ton Until Discovered.

masculine student Of feminine nature
whose field OF study is the Port Of New
York mas heard to remark that there was
only one thing that would keep a woman
from smuggling.
The fear Of having an 'eKtry called
through the streets with her name in red
headlines and her life history appended is
deterrent" he said. Take that away,
and Uncle Sam would need 10 be Argus
eyed indeed"
To most otherwise upright women SNUG
Cling Is a sin only IL Il is found out She
who takes large risks and comes through
scot free is the object not Of apprehension
but Of respectful admiration on the part OF
her sisters. The mutual condolences OF
sny knot OF women who have fooled Uncle
Sam could an outsider overhear them,
would show that outsider that nothing
proba bly, viii ever persuade the sex as a
whole that 70 evade the customs laws is
anything but praiseworthy. The most that
Collector Loeb can hope TO do is TO con-
. vince them that 1t is inexpedient. and that
IS not likely TO be accomplished by fines.
The only buEaboo worth mentioning is
rn,bbcjtv. which somehow seems TO brand
the smuggler as 4 common cheat II is
quite otherwise If she swins in the game.
" EA ms Litllidt aAAltA-S- " ny Van
good man rejoice in his heart when he
does the streetcar company out of a 5-cent
fare? Why viii a citizen endow church
with one hand and steal franchise with
the other?
The government is rich" the woman
smuegler probably thinks. The govern
rnent can stand it or. as a woman said
who had brought in some pearls hidden in
false bottoms in her shoes: The pearls
are mine. ! paid for them, ! will not pay
for the privilege OF spending my own
money for personal belongings.
Many and ingenious are the ways of the
woman smuggler. Some get through un-
challenged by appearing perfectly calm
and unconcerned at the crucial moment.
but unfortunately the inspectors are get
ting on to. this dodge; they regard with
suspicion the serene eye and the gracious
smile
Hiding places found or invented by
smugglers are innumerable. Sometimes the
old ones prove surprisingly successful just
because they have been tried so many
times that they are considered out OF date,
and take the inspectors off their guard.
No hiding place, however ingenious, is
proof against detection ANY woman who
could invent one that would escape the
eagle eyes trained TO discover such things
would make a fortune If she could keep the
secret but most women will tell sooner or
later They cannot resist the temptation
10 boast 10 other women, and sooner or
later some one gets caught
The WAYS in which officials determine
that certain persons are TO be. searched are
mysterious. Large sales OF Jewels are re-
ported so il is easy enough for the
thorities 10 know when these valuables are
coming 10 the country, but in smaller mat
tiers they must trust TO their own canni-
ness. OF course, there are women officials
for the last stages Of searching. and to
them falls the lot Of discovering that rats
and pompadours may conceal Jewels. and
that prominent hips may mean yards and
yards OF lace.
The fashion Of weighing evening gowns
gives 4 chance for another hiding place.
II is so easy 10 stick in a pearl here and
there instead Of a shot.
One woman brought over some rubies
concealed in 3 hollow bracelet. Another
employed her umbrella handle. Another
hit on the clever device of hiding her newly
acquired valuabIes in her rubber headrest.
The puncture where the jewels were in
serted was repaired by a Partisan mechan-
&c IN whom she could confide. All through
the voyage the headrest remained strapped
70 her steamer chair, being brought of at
the last moment under her maids arm.
While her trunks We're being gone through
she turned 10 the maid and told her TO let
the air out OF the cushion. and when the
latter fumbled she took il out OF her hands,
rolled il up with the Jewels inside, thrust
4 IN her bag and walked of undetected.
One thing is certain. the customs laws
will never be popular.
1t is ridiculous" one good American
complained recently, that I can never
bring in anything free for my family, while
my English cousin, coming over here on
e visit brought in ali manner of gifts
without being taxed. Because he is not
citizen OF this country he was permitted 10
declare everything personal and as the
gifts were trifies comparatively speaking,
the customs people are not likely to dis
cover that the declaration wasn't strictly
accurate
Some time SAID the woman 10 whom
he was talking. there may be a happier
state Of affairs when things we purchase
for keepsakes viii be admitted free, and
when a beggarly 500 viii not be the
maximum Of the sum allowed TO be de-
clared."