Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-03

samples are should be quite sufficient at
the most
Mr.. MacLea expects the State Depart
ment to cable Ambassador Sharp to-
morrow to secure the release OF the
trunks.
ORGANIZED TO BUY
For FRENCH GOVERNMENT
According to Mr.. MacLca. the syndi-
cate was organized to buy for the
American mills, to eliminate the heavy
overcharge. He described to-day the
methods pursued by certain class OF
INSCRIPTIONS American and French
jobbers to defraud the French govern
ment
France gives England a minimum
tariff rate. while the United States gets
the maximum rate" said Mr.. MacLea.
Goods purchased. from the United
States. shipped to England, and re-
labeled there for shipment into France.
are admitted at much cheaper rate
than IL they were shipped direct to
France from the United States.
Because of the difference in the
tariff, the jobbers engaged in this kind
OF business can underbid any firms that
try TO sell direct to France. The French
government, however, does not get the
benefit. So many commissions are
taken out that In the end it has to
pay a tremendous overchargc.
"The direct trade which the syndi-
cate is building up. and which Mr..
Swoboda was developing. would cut
down this trade through England and
the graft that goes with II. The reason
is that most Of the reputable mills in
the United States have siEnifed their
Willingness TO do business direct with
the syndicate. This may explain tho
against Mr.. Swoboda"
AMERICAN MILLS
IN NO WAY TO BLAME:
Mr.. MacLca gave some interesting
figures on the ovcrchargcs to tho
French government. "On $4,000. 900
worth of contracts" he said. France
has been excessively charged from 10
to 100 per cent. The American mills
are in no way to blame. 1t Is duo to
the graftcrs in between.
The difference In tariff I'm favor OF
England is shown by instances taken
at random. On knit goods. underwear
and so forth. the tariff on goods from
England into Franco is roo francs per
hundred kilos. while from the United
States it is $50 francs. ON corduroys
ii is % francs per 90 kilos from Eng
Iahh' ana SoV francs from the United
States.
81 know of cotton hose leaving the
American mills at 6s cents a dozen. and
reaching France at s1.0S and Sl1o.
Wool cloths which cost s131 ward
here have reached France ut soO2
know OF wool cloths delivered in France
which were not within 40 per cent or
the STANDARD required This would indi
cate to me that there was a 40 per cent
graft somewhere. 1t was not the fault
OF tic mills. They simply filed the Or
der rs il came 10 them.
NO shoes have reached the French
government from this country ut less
'han $40 pair. but the manufac-
turers have told me some OF them were
high priced at $3.50 pair
ONLY TIIIRTY-EIGHT HORSES
REACH FRANCE ALIVE
Fraud Of one kind or another an
pears everywhere. Take the case or a
certain shipment Of horses They were
contracted for (. b.. but because OF ;,
loosely drawn contract the word "fad''
was omitted. They were put on the
noa1 IN starved condition. and out of a
shipment OF 1000. only thirty eight
horses reached France alive"
No word was received to-day from
Ambassador Sharp in reply to the de
partnents cable instructing him 10
interest himself In the Swoboda case
""u " report the status OF affairs.
MT. MacLea received a cable from A.
NJ MORRISON, OF Paris. who, with Maui
rice Duclos. is member of the syndi-
cate. informing him that the arrest OF
Swoooda was not to be permitted to
interfere with the business Of tho syn
dictate in the United States.
Mr. Macl'ea still insists that Swo-
ooda Is innocent Of setting fire to the
french liner. "If he had any con
nection with the German government
don't know it," said Mr.. MacI,r,
and IT he had. he certainly deceived
Mr.. Morrison. Furthermore, he was n
very odd species OF spy. He work ID
early and late while in New York
wearing himself out mentally and
phNsicaiiy, studying the figures OF pro-
ducts OF American mills to take In 81.
to Mr.. Morrison
LOyett Directed IN A.,