The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-04
TOLLS OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE
Lille Hamilton French in the Jun

Lille Hamilton French in the June
Century.
W. OMEN ss .9 aa'' ssss aselssa
w sors of turpitude that rec
ogni2es no wrong in defrauding a
government. Armed with arguments
Ia defense of my kind, | prepared to
discuss the question with the collector
of the port of New York, blk<at my
first suggestion of our reputed delin-
quencies Mr.. Loeb interrupted me-
THAT is an idea to which / will not
assent" he said emphatically. Women
by nature are not smugglers Moreover
the average traveller is honest"
Men are my authority for the state
ment," l urged. Husbands, at any rate,
are always telling stories of the clever
ness and delight of their wives in out
whiting officials"
II have heard them joke" the collec-
tor replied, putting their wives under
the ban of an odious stigma. For such
men l have only contempt.
Although, with his vindication, my
own carefully prepared line of argu-
ment was rendered unavailable leaving
me in midair, as it were, without the
support of a leading question, it served
to call out the following story;
Not long ago second class passenger
came in who was known to have been
the purchaser in Europe of valuable OPP
teal instruments, but he declared moth
ing and nothing was found in his bag
gage. In his party, however, were two
women, his wife and her friend. Sus-
picions were excited and the women
were examined. The optical instru-
ments were found concealed about the
waist of each--heavy loads indeed TO
carry on consciences as we'll as on waist
bands. The officials were in a dilemma.
The man could not be arrested, for he
had not Struggled. The women had but
could they be imprisoned? One carried
nursing baby, the other was burdened
with sick child. Considerations OF
pure humanity set them free.
Had / not been bent on defending
women, I might have told the collector
a story in which the tables were more
adroitly turned on an unsuspecting hus-
band. He was a retired general, mar
tinet in discipline, and prescriptions
regarding even the shadow of laxity in
the performance of his own obligations.
mo smuggling was to be permitted, =
Paris he insisted on her making a full
list of every dutiable article in his pos
session. Unknown to him, she bought
several yards of Venetian lace. How to
hide 1t was a problem until she tn ought
of ripping the lining OF his overcoat,
and hiding the lace inside. She re-
garded her cunning as a tremendous
joke and to this day he does not know
how she laughed to herself when wear
ing that very same coat on the dock, he
drew himself up to his full military
height and with free conscience pointed
to tray containing all his purchases.
No idea of anything so serious as de-
frAuding the government has ever en-
tered her froliosome mind.
In France distinctions are made be-
tween the honest and the dishonest trav-
eler, and during the autumn of 1909 the
foreign papers published a long series of
instructions from the chief of the bureau
in Paris to his subordinates, admonishing
them to greater consideration and cour-
tesy. more discretion. and the exercise
of finer intelligence, in the discharge
of their duties.
We American women find the customs
lay peculiarly oppressive because It NAL
most the only law with which most Of us
ever come into contact. We go about our
tasks at home, live out our days and die
without a thought of legal obligations
We are proud of our freedom too. when
we travel, glorying in 1t. boasting of per-
sonal liberty as the very breath of our
national existence, demanding because OF
1t, the overthrow of so many social tradi-
lions abroad that our less favored sisters
on the other side regard us with awe and