Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-04
TOURISTS PUNISHED
FOR BUYING GOODS
IN GERMAN STATES
Arrested and Fined al the
Frontier on Exports Reg
ulation Charges.
TEUTONS TRY TO BEAT
EXCHANGE HANDICAP
Jail Belgians Who Gross Boun-
Diary OH Speculative
Ventures.
by g. u. Conrcr,

BERLIN. Dec. 3.--unlucll,. Ancri
,an travellers who take advantage of
German low prices 10 purchase
cameras, field glasses and other SON
Tenirs of their German visit are now
being nab"od at the frontier sum
marily fined and their purchases CON
hscated for violating the export rcEu-
latfons. Jail or long delay at a
frontier town while the casc is await
ing trial are the alternatives to nay
ing the fines imposed by the customs
authorities.
The unfortunates usually prefer TO
pay their fines and content them
selves with acrimonious telcEraphic
complaints TO American consular rep
reseRtativcs. ono humorist today
forwarded poetic recital of the loss
OF n fancy vest, while others lament
tho ,oss OF more prosaic socks and
underwear.
VIII Warn Against Purchases.
The cases have become so fcrQucnt
that Consul-General Coffin is consid-
erinE as one of the first acts under
his new consular cxequatur the pub
1ication OF an advertisement in Ger
man papers warning American Wis
itors against making any personal
purchases in Germany.
Victims usually act not only in
ignorance of the present export rcEu-
Jiircct information from dealers that
purchases OF personal necessities for
their own use are cXportable without
special license. Cards to this effect
are displayed in many Berlin stores
The old permission has, however,
given place to absolute prohibition
against carrying German purchases
across the frontier without specific
license, the veto extending even to
L., III l,,yl Oh, .Itt.f
clean collar.
PunishinE Foreign Buyers.
The German authorities indeed are
pushing their policy of punishing
foreign buyers nj GerInany's ex
change bargain sale TO the point Of
straight Jail sentences for offenders
who are convicted OF intent to enter
the country for tho sole purpose of
buying up necessities OF life and
smuggling them over tho frontier
americans. 40 far, have had to com
plain only OF fines for attempting 10
take their purchases out OF Germany
contrary TO law, but Il large number
OF, Belgians, caught in the police
dragnet at the Cologne railway sta
ton, were given jail sentences from 4
fortnight TO three months and heavy
tines, ranging up 10 100000 marks,
and their purchases contiscatcd in
addition.
In the trunk OF one Began woman
a new coat, six shawls and thirty
handierchi.fs were found. She was
given three months in prison and n
line of 100000 marks. Two Belgian
men, who had, stocked shirts ana
suspenders got three months in JAIL
and 100000 marks tlnc apiccc..
Police Aid Customs Inspectors.
Police have been assigned TO as
s;st customs inspectors on all out
going trains and 10 examine the bag
gage OF departing travellers ut az,
principal stations in the vicinity Of
the frontiers. -
Under the !nnIcnGc OF the currency
depreciation, the old supplement III
foreigners has reappearcd III German
commercial life. 1t Is now :: common.
practice 20 add from % To 100 per
cent to n hill for goods purchaser ~
retail stores by any one whose accent
Smacks Of foreign nationality. This
is in addition to preliminary boost
ing OF prices whenever q foreigner
comes in sight. Some stores. notably
ia South Germany, arc patriotic 10
post signs announcing no sales made
TO foreigners. But the general run
OF dealers are not above dcspoil III !.
the Egyptians Ia the full extent OF
their ability.
tCopyriGh, 1921 H. Public Ledger Ho1