New-York tribune., 1910-09-19
DECLARE EVERYTHING. +"
THE WIRELESS WARNING
Passengers on Arabic Got Tips
from Friends Ashore. and No
Chances Were Taken.
PUBLICITY MAKES HONESTY
That's What Customs Men Say,
Believing Morganthau Case
Caused Interlining on
Declarations.

The Marconi operator on the White
Star liner Arabic was weary when the
steamship got to port last night. He
had been unusually busy since Friday
handling an unusual number of personal
MESA ges for passengers, advising them
to make full and honest customs dec
larations.
Ever since the news of the seizure of
SO. 900 worth of pearls and s., 100 worth
OF gowns from the Morganthau family
on the Mauretania became public on
Friday solicttous friends ashore have
been informing friends at sea that 1t
pays to be honest with Uncle Sam.
Such messages as Declare every
thing Take no chance at smuggling
and Wise guy customs inspectors can
see through brick walls" have been
going seaward to the Arabic since Fri
day.
Of course the customs officials knew
nothing OF the warnings, but they sus-
pected last night. on looking over the
Arabic's declarations. that something
had been in the wind
Such an array of declarations
Many were ''chock- block in matured
ink showing that the owner had been
honest at the start. But there were
others which showed much patching and
elongating.
Many showed that they were made out
with two different pens on two different
occasions and two shades of ink.
-1-7i Cl-
made the inspectors literally read be
tween the lines of the original writing.
and on reading they found inserted in
pencil records of many trifies demanding
the absurd duty of 80 cents. There were
declarations also that suggested a heavy
sea was on at the time of revision.
All this amused and pleased the men
who catch the smuggIers. Collector
Loeb has frequently declared that pub
licity and exposure through the press
made returning travellers honest. His
contention was borne out yesterday by
the Arabic's amended declarations
The inspectors were happy. but they
preserved their customary outward
seeming Of severity.
One of the men observed, however,
that there could be such thing as ultra
honesty. He whispered this to himself
as he called an appraiser to place value
upon some trif1es that a girl had pur-
chased in a five and ten centime store"
in the Latin Quarter Of Paris.
The passengers on the Arabic were not
selfish persons-that is. those who were
favored with messages advising them TO
be honest-and the good word was
passed around from one to another, and
before the liner came abeam the light
ship everybody knew what had hap
pened to the Morgenthaus, and he who
had planned 70 defraud the government
srnote his conscience and revised his dec
laratiOn.
Souvenir spoons. collar buttons, blot
ters. cheap jewelry and perfumes found
their way to the declaration blanks and
permitted themselves to be fondfed by
the inspectors of baggage.
Whenever an inspector found dec
Iaration that had been newly amended
he kept a wary eye and when he found
a small one unmolested he kept two
wary eyes on the possessor.
Vigilance was not suspended because
OF the wireless. but nevertheless the
Arabic for the trip ending yesterday will
go on record as an exceedingly honest
shin