Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-21
MANY MEN AND WOMEN ON
LOOKOUT FOR CUSTOMS
FRAUDS.
SYSTEM OF ESPIONAGE
TO GET RICH QUICK
Government Makes Distinction Be-
tween Dstsctor and informs-Msm.
Der Of House Able Under Law TO
Block Prssident's Economy Plans
FGisht on For chairmanship.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Dec. 21.-Attracted by
the reward Of 500, 900 given to Richard
Parr for his discovery Of the customs
frauds of the American Sugar Refin-
ing Company, which enabled the gov
m to recover $2.135,4s6, many
the country in an effort to detect Gus
.oms frauds.
This voluntary system of espionage
was disclosed by James F. Curtis, as
sistant secretary of the treasury, at a
hearing before the house committee on
appropriations. Many Of these amateur
detectives, it is learned. are laboring
under the impression that the best way
10 get rich in a hurry is to unearth
huge customs frauds and collect half
of the money recovered by the govern
ment.
Under the terms Of the law Parr
would have been legally entitled to a
reward OF half the amount collected by
the government from the American
Sugar Refining Company, or consider
ably more than $1,000. 900. The secre-
.tary OF the treasury, however, is given
discretionary power, and it was because
Of this that he scaled PARIS reward
down to 100000.
Secretary Curtis pointed out that
here is a distinction between a de-
tector and seizor" OF a customs Off
cial uEearthing evidence on which the
government collects back duties, and
an ordinary citizen outside the govern
ment service. known to treasury Off
cialys as an 'informer." The law pro-
vides for the payment OF not TO exceed
$4,000 to "informers" who furnish evil
dence Of customs frauds On which the
government is able TO collect.
We need, more money for this spe-
cial fund" Mr.. Curtis told the commit
tee. because we nave an increased
number Of informers coming in owing
to u increased activities and hope Of
awards similar to PARIS large sum OF
money. The activities in the informing
line are very much greater tina they
were three or our years ago, principal
ly owing to the fact tia we are prose-
cutting the cases with so much more
vlgor than formerly and discovering
more frauds"
Who said the president OF the
United States has any rights" asked
a mi of the house committee on
appropriations as he entered his COM
mlttee room from the floor of the
house filed with disgust.
Any president of these United
states who thinks he has a right to
run his office to suit himself should
first consult Robert Bruce Macon, rep
resentative in congress from Arkan-
-sas, and known to his intinates as DIT.
Mary Walker
Private Secretary Norton, who
started the wave Of In the
treasury department went down to the
White House laboring under the de-
fusion that he could shift the execu-
tive Office force around SO as to bring
about the greatest possible efficiency.
Mr.. Norton has had wide experience
in the insurance business but he does
not know h ms and outs Of the gov
eminent.
Norton worked out a plan whereby
the force Of clerks vas reduced, sew
eral new positions were created and
filed by the clerks who remained, and
those who took on additional work had
their compensation increased accord
ingly. The plan had the approval Of
President Taft, but as I nave said the
president has no right to presume that
he can adjust his office force to suit
himself.
When the legislative appropriation
bill was under consideration in the
house Macon discovered that some
clerk was to have his salary increased
a few dollars to compensate him for
additional work. Any increase in SAL
AIRY is subject to a point Of order in
the house. Mr.. Macon, who longs to
be known as the watchdog Of the
treasury. and who lives to disturb the
plans Of government officials. prompt
~ made points of order against every
item concerning the presidents office
force where an increase in salary was
contemplated. Hence the president
must go back to the old fashioned way
of doing business because a member
from Arkansas so wills 1t.
"As I hav said before the American