New-York tribune., 1912-01-28
THROUGH THE CUSTOM HOUSE
An Ohio Traveller Contrasts His I'm
nressions with Those of Mr.. Smalley.

To the Editor Oh Inc lTlDunP.
Sir: Your brilliant contributor, Geors'
w Smalley, I'm his Anglo American Meih-
cries I'm The Tribune of January q makes
what seems to me is an unfair and UNJUST
attack upon tho Custom House officials ol
the Port of New York Mr.. Smalley says
Uncle Sam seizes on their returning
travellers possessions. turns their truilinS
inside out and upside down, ana ieNIeo
upon all dutiable articles, and upon ha mi Uni-
which are not. such ransom as the ,no UNI
formed myrmidons OF the Custom Rouse
think proper. The declaration me pas
senger Is required to sign on oath seems "
have no particular value, except as a oaslo
Tor future accusations of defrauding the
revenue, since ii is not accepted as even
prima facie EVIDENCE OF tne tsca TO sasen wrltJ,.
he swears. EaCh American pas
ger ia treated as n posslDle, UT pei
probable, perjurer.
These are rather broad and seriSus
charges. My own experience convinces me
that Mr.. smalley has grossly exaggerateo
tho case. and that no returning America"
traveller who gives a frank, honest state
ment OF purchases made abroadp ana ac-
companies It with the bills for the primer
pal articles, will have the slightest dithculty
IN getting through customs or need nave
the slightest fear Of being treated as
"pcrjurer."
I too. landed at the Cunard pier. not
long before Mr.. Smalley's arrival hau
not been three years abroad, however-only
eight months, in fact-and so, unlike MT
Smalley, I was not entitled TO come III
under more favorable terms. But my
statement under oath was accepted as
primn facie evidence. The inspector re-
moved nothing from our trunks. disturbed
nothing. and as | proceeded to dig down
10 show what we (my wife and u had, IN
expressed himself satisfied (all dutaole'
listed goods being on top. Not one OF the
five pIeces Of baggage was turned UPSIDE
down or inside out, not even end for enh'
Cur combined purchases amounted TO over
,ba 1000 allowed 10 be brought in free OF
duty by two persons. and claim was maze
for some reductions on garments worn lot
several months (No reductions were asked
on garments only slightly worm Inc ad-
iustment made necessary the calling OF an
appraiser, a few dollars OF duties was fouhn
due and cheerfully paid, our baggage
properly labelled and In not over thirty
minutes from the time an inspector was as
signed US we were walking of the pier.
IL was my first experience as a returning
European traveller with customs officials
and have only praise for the courtesy
and celerity with which the tariff law re-
lating to travellers was enforced.
Mr.. smalley draws an unfavorable ito
his own countrymem comparison with ku-
ropean customs practices Again my ex-
perience differs greatly from his. Our bag
gage was quite as carefully examined at
Tntrb nalgiap and
French frontiers, and at New Haven. for
England. everything considered, as at New
York. At several OF these frontiers II was
quite difficult to convince the customs Of
hcals that Se were not smuggling tobacco
although neither OF us uses It. And neither
Mr. Smalley nor any other unpatriotic
American can match at any United states
Custom House our experience at Florence,
Italy. where our carriage was boarded by
an Italian customs official, as We were
leaving the railway station. demanding TO
pearch our trunks and valses for food,
subject to the citys tariff or octroi taxes
Let Mr. Smalley try 10 enter Italy or
France with more cigars than the Gus
IONS officials think he needs for use within
the week. or bring a case OF champagne
into England. and | guarantee there will
be no 500 exemption to save him from pay
ing duties. I do think It would not be
amiss to permit gifts to come within the
provisions OF the 500 exemption, but l have
no other suggestion to offer as an improve
meut.
/ do. however. most heartily applaud all
that Mr.. smalley says about cab fares.
and he might have been as severe about
baggage transfer charges. But that's
another story. II. a. HEMPSTEAD.
Cleveland Ohio Ian - .9l2