The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-26
UNCLE SAM DEALS
SEVERELY WITH
PLUME WEARERS
COmpels Ladies to Make Af-
fidavits That the Feather
Was Not Purchased
Abroad

young woman who arrived at Hobo
ken recently by the Hamburg American
liner Amerika wore bird of paradise
in her hat. An inspector asked her with
politeness, authorized by Collector Mitch
ell If the ornament was bought abroad.
She said it was not and he then told
her that he was sorry but she would have
to accompany him to the custom house.
Meanwhile the young wornans baggage
was held pending her temperance on
the pier. Several other women passen-
gers who had aigrettes confessed that
they had bought them abroad and were
told to go to their cabins, remove them
and turn them over to the inspectors.
They did this. some protesting that they
we're unaware of the law prohibiting the
bringing in of feathers of wild birds.
The value of most of the plumes confs-
Gated was small, says the New York
Sun.
The young woman with the bird of par
adise went with an inspector to the sixth
floor Of the custom house and was taken
to the desk of a member of the law di-
vision. He gave her a printed form on
which she declared that she bought the
decoration in this country. She raised
her hand on request and swore that she
had told the truth. Then she went back
to Hoboken with the inspector.
The young woman from the Amerika
was about the twentieth person who has
been held up and taken to the custom
house to make affidavts about hats
plumes. Ordinary declarations affecting
dutiable articles are made on the piers
In the presence Of a deputy surveyor,
who has blanks for passengers to sign.
The inspectors and some of the dep
uty surveyors are wondering why
declaration about plu-nes cannot be-
made on piers also. The trip to and
from Hobollen Is at the expense of the
Inspector in charge of the case and he
has no way to get back his fare, and
in some instances that of the woman
under detention.
A good many members of the Gus
toms force. high and low. say that the
low Is farcical and that there Is no
way to find out whether or not pas
sengers are telling the truth about
plumes they bring in. The legal talent
of the custom house is inclined to re-
gard the law, or rather the present sys-
tenn of enforcing 1t. as open to question.
1t is said that inasmuch as the law alb
solutely prohibits the importation of
the feathers of certain wild birds and
the dead birds themselves. they should
be put In the same category as opium,
and should be confiscated and de-
stroyed. whether they are bought
abroad or are returning from a trip
abroad. Some of the experts doubt tho
| legality of permitting women who have
bought plumes abroad to give bond for
them and have them exported and sold
on the other side.
| 1t is certain from the Viewpoint of
customs men who have made study
of the peculiarities of women passen-
gers bringing in dutiable goods that
many women will not hesitate to make
affidavits to get what they wan. nd
mitted free OF duty. That Is VIII he
lFF4G TOM 1nAlr .
method of attempting to enforce the
law as farcical
one of the officials who are interest
| ed In the confiscation of aigrettes said
yesterday that he had noted that all, or
nearly all, of those given up on the
piers were of cheap sort, and that
| those which the women retained by a
trip to the custom house were costly.