The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1920-02-27
INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION
RESPONSIBLE FOR
STEAMSHIP THEFTS

Buenos Aires, Feb. 27.-Belief that
widespread International organize
ton is at work stealing merchandise
from steamship is expressed in a re-
port of the United States Chamber OF
Commerce In Argentina. The cham
Der investigated the loss Of valuable
merchandise by pilfering from ships
plying to this port and found that.
the same characteristics are visible In
thefts of merchandise from Italy,
Spain, and England as from the Uni.
ted States"
The investigation was made at the
request Of the Allied Chambers Of
Commerce which asked all the mem
bers to make similar Investigations.
1.-The increase in pilferage during
the past few months had been alarm
ing" says the report. can effort was
made to deduce from the evidence re-
ceived the value of the goods stolen,
but this was impossible although in
general terms 1t would seem to run
into hundreds of thousands Of dollars
gold.
"One curious feature developed
. which was that pilferage occurs with
frequency in articles sent by parcels
; post, for which there Is no recourse II
no value has been declared.
"The thefts have all the character
istics Of systematized robbery by peo-
. pie who know the merchandise and
also know the pecuharities Of the
shippers. 1t would seem, moreover,
that a widespread international or
ganization was at work for the same
characteristics are visible In thefts
. Of merchandise from Italy, France,
Spain. and England as from the Uni.
ted States.
Zone house imported lot of 30
automobiles. It is the custom of this
factory to pack the set Of tools in one
special croner Of the case. A hole
was cut into this particular corner Of
20 cases and the tool sets were re-
moved. Apparently the thieves knew
exactly where to look for the articles
they desired
Another house which imports dry
goods found that zinc-lined cases had
been opened, the silk contents re-
moved and an equal weight Of coal
put into the cases which were nailed
up. Another house which also Inn
ports dry goods had several cases Of
silk velvet completely riied and in
the cases were found cotton goods Of
inferior quality. Each Of these cases
involevd losses amounting to nearly
$4,000 gold. One exporter Of silk
from Europe, with the idea of deceiv.
ing the thieves changed his form o.
packing and also his shipping marks
bbut the thieves went direct to the
packages and rifled them as though
they knew beforehand what they con
tanned. Two separate shipments each
containing 100000 seweing machine
needles were stolen, the empty boxes
arriving in Buenos Aires, although ir
] this case the shippers have complete
( security that the merchandise wa.
! loaded on the steamer in proper con
I dition In New York. A merchant
I makes his Custom House declaration
I in harmony with the shipping docu
! ments received from abroad and mus
I pay duty on goods that were stolen.
I "The British steamship companies
! at first and more recently the An.eri
! can steamship companies have in
= Guided in their bills Of lading claus,
to the effect that the steamer will no
: be responsible for pilferage in al
! cases in which loss can be covered b,
insurance.
| Insurance companies are increas
ing their rates and threaten to maxi,
still more increases. The attitude O
the steamship companies and the cap
tains is a direct invitation to unre
stricted theft on board ship. AS thief
increases, insurance rates will in
crease and the eventual prejudice {,
legitimate commerce threatens to b.
very grave.
| THE opinion of responsible mari
time insurance agents an dadjuster
who are in close touch with the stu
alton is that the only remedy is TO
! the steamship companies to reassum
responsibility for pilferage aid Il
case they are unwilling to do so gov
ernmental pressure should be brough
:. to bear to compel them to eliminate
I. this clause"