New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-11
ilferage of Cargoes Big Menace in World Commerce
Organized Bands of Crooks ~,
Operate on All Trade Routes
U. S. Business Men Seek Laws Fixing Responsibil,
While Inventors Originate Protective Methods :
of Packing; London Shippers Active

30 che hsld was ripe FOR inventors who
could devise cheap metal strappings
which would stiffen the case and make
pilferags lengthy and difficult process.
In England and on the Continent higher
lumber and cheaper labor have led to
the use Of heavy lumber reinforced by
battens which will stand several jour
neys. The tendency has been toward
the larger, sitter cases, and the custom,
especially in France, has been to add the
cost Of the case to the merchandise.
Starting with stronger cases the Eu-
ropean tendency against pilferage has
been mainly confined to making it more
difficult by requiring more time and
tools to enter a case. America, on the
other hand, has encouraged the in
ventors and promoters Of any system
which would stiffen the case bit. but
which would make any pilferage evil
dent on the surface Of the case, so that
the next person to handle it could see
that 1t had been tempered with. The
result In general has been that Europe
up to date has confined its mechanical
preventives mostly to heavy wooden
battcns and to fat bands nailed around
the end Of the case. In the fruit pack
ing Of the Mediterranean region great
quantities Of heavy Irvine are used
about the case, probably on the theory
that the average thief would not want
to cut the rope and thus make the theft
apparent, and that fifteen or twenty
minutes time would be too dangerous
and arduous for the slight reward of
some stolen fruit.
1t Is evident that any box can be
entered and that supervision will al
ways be necessary. But any box which
involves time, extra tools and q sur
face evidence Of pilferage before it
can be entered will be comparatively
safe. And the professional pilferirg
gangs hate most Of all surface evidence
Of pilferage, because it makes It next
to impossible for them to do the same
kind of job in the same way more than
once in the same locality. American
inventive genius has already worked
out half dozen systems of strapping
cases with fiat bands or wire, tension
ing the metal until it enters the wood
and twisting or sealing it at the
end with special tool, so that il
cannot be removed without cutting
and cannot be replaced without a
special tool and more Of the same
material. Because of quickness and
cheapness the wire systems have espe-
cially come into vogue.
The British have been particularly
active in remedying the entire pilfer-
age problem. The shippers and in
surance interests, after getting the
principle of absolute responsibility
for goods in custody accepted by the
railroads and steamship companies,
then engaged in a cooperative study
OF tho entire question under the
auspices Of the London Chamber of
Commerce. All the interests combined
in this investigation. which soon mar
rowed down to q review of existing
mechanical means for protecting cases
against pilferage and recommends
tions on specific devices which were
found to be good and information as
to their cost a case.
Four Devices Approved
In Seventeen Tests
A foreman of a shipping room was
given a chance to work twenty minutes
on every known pilferage- protection
device that could be found. If he could
not enter case within that length of
time without leaving trace of his
breach thai method was considered
worthy Of recommendation. Seventeen
different devices were subject to this
searching test in the presence Of ship
pers and representatives Of the car
riers and insurance companies which
composed the committee. Since only
four devices were approved, and two
Of them are American inventions. il
might be Of interest to American ship
pers to read their description.
The two American devices approved