The Washington times., 1911-03-24
POOR PAY CAUSES
LOAN SHARK EVIL
ing, Says Clerks Would Not Be So Easily Victmized
IF They Were Paid More Salary.

The low salaries paid Government en-
ployes is largely responsible for the
loan shark" evil In the District, be-
Iieves Director Ralph, of the Bureau of
Printing and Engraving, who, In con-
nection with the Waple case, has been
investigating the practices of the
usurers in his own branch Of the serv-
ice. g.. s..
The FIVE bureau employees who have
been plying, their money-lending trade
among their associates, and whose dis
missal has been recommended by the
director, Will hle a defense with Mr..
Ralph this afternoon. This statement
on the part of the men charged with
charging exorbitant rates of interest
Treasury, who will pass final Judgment.
Scores of debts have been liquida-
ted in the bureau during the past few
days" said Director Ralph today. II
surmise that the same thing has &C.
CURED in other branches of the Gov
ernment service. o..
Fineds Many New Victims.
Each day l find new instances OF
where the subordlnates Of this bureau
have fallen into the clutches of the
money-lenders. Washington is a par
ticuIariy advantageous field for the op-
erations of shylocks. The Government
empIoye, as a general thing, is paid an
inadequate salary. II is difficult for
him TO support family upon what he
receives. He begins to borrow in small
quantities form one OF these loan
sharks who may either be more for
tunate fellow-employe or else a man
regularly in business downtown.
THE interest soon begins to eat up
large part of his monthly compensation
and In a short time he Will be hopeless
" involved"
Director Ralph came across q case in
his bureau this morning indicating that
me money-lender there charges 10 per
cent and then compounds the interest In
event of defalt.
indicative of the feeling aroused by
the plight of William Waple, jr., who
confessed that he was forced TO forge
in order to rid himself of the, persecu5
tions of loan sharks with whom he
had become cntangied, the citizens
cco>~ritteo o. the Monday Evening Club
today requested the District Commis-
: 4oners TO urge the passage of anti-loa
shark legislation at the extra sessio
OF Congress.
This the Commissioners have decided
TO do, as was announced when the Com
missioners began an investigation to as
certain If any employe in the District
government, or any policeman, has been
guilty OF lending money at usurious
rates.
Search for Shylocks.
The revelations at the big engraving
plant has put every Cabinet member
and bureau chief on the lookout for
Government employees who may have
turned Shylocks. The department heads
cannot reach the ordinary loan shark
who maintains an office in Washing
on. and who seeks trade among the
thousands of Government workers, but
the department chiefs can handle the
man in the service who acts as a
booster for these Objectionable
money lenders, or who becomes Shy
lock himself.
Preliminary inquiries indicate no such
characters in the Department of Com
merce and Labor and the Postoffice De-
partment. officials of those departments
said today that IL a departmental loan
shark" is found to be operating among
fellow-clerks prompt action will be
taken. Secretary .MacVeagh. of the
Treasury, and Secretary Wilson. of the
Department of Agriculture, are also
concerned over the state Of affairs
found to exist at the Bureau Of Print