The Washington times., 1920-01-21
AMERICAN CONSUL
STOPS SHIP GRAFT
Ring OF Brazilian Sharpers Got
Thousands for Fake
Repairs.

RIO DE JANEIRo, Jan. 2I.-The re-
cent action OF American Consul Gen
eral A. T. Haeberle in obtaining
decision OF the Brazilian federal
court. removing Capt William H.
Chambliss from command or the
United States Shipping Board vessel
Lake Elkwood." threw the lime
light on the graft conditions that
have prevailed in this port for the
last two years, during which II ID
alleged American ships have been
victimizedr to an aggregate amount
OF hundreds OF thousands IL not MIL
lions of dollars.
The seizure OF the Lake Elkwood'
by American Government authorities,
when she limped into this port In dis
tress on her way to Buenos Aires
with a cargo OF coal from the United
States. was prompted by the con
stantly growing volume OF complaint
from the United States Chamber "f
other representatives of American In
terests here. Consul General Haeberle
determined to make the Lake Elk
wood" a test case to see II II were
possible to repair a ship In this port
without graft.
His attitude was at once accepted
as a challenge by the ring OF British
ship chambers, agents, construction
and repair companies and others VINO
have accumulated fortunes during the
last two years in victimizing Amer
lean ships. The battle which resulted
was one OF the most spectacular that
has ever taken place in Brazil.
Charges Of the utmost gravity were
hurled back and forth, threats were
made, slanderous insinuations were
circulated, a campaign of - "Spaper
publicity was employed, and hnally
the courts were called upon to decide
the question. The fact that the courts
decided in favor OF the American con-
sui general is considered here a gerat
victory, but 1t is believed that II was
only one battle" in the war that will
follow.
During the battle" is developed
that the arrival of any American ship
in this port during the last two years
was a signal for a swarm Of launches
carrying ships chambers, agents, rep
resentatives of repairs companies, ana
other members of the ring, to sur
round the incoming ship before 1t got
to anchor. The captain, chief en-
gineer and other officers of the ship
were clutched almost bodily. They
were taken to the club rooms" and
other places of entertainment main
tanned by members of the ring. They
were entertained" with every form
of seduction which this port has to
offer, including wine, women, and
song.
During their entertainment the
ships officers were shown the way
to get their share" in the spoils pro-
yiding that they would give their ap-
proval to the bills for repairs and
supplies for their ship. The fact that
a large percentage of the officers OF
the American ships were not Amer
lean citizens and were opensly~ on
the job for what there was in it,
made the grafters' work easy.
During the last two years there
has been scarcely a day that one or
more American ships were not In the
dry docks in Rio de Janeiro. 1t Is
common knowledge that in the ma
jority of these cases very slight re-
pairs were made, to the tune Of exor-
bitant bills, in the proceeds of which
it is alleged that the ships officers
shared. In several instances the bills
for repairs were so high that the
ships were sold here, in which trans
actions the. grafters also shared. to
the heavy loss of the owners.