New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-04-18
Mellon Calls
For Proof of
Counterfeitill,e.!.
Secretary Demands ''1he
Plate Printer" Furnish Ba-
sis for Article Alleging
Bad Notes Flood Country
Fears Injury to Credit
Asserts EmpInalicaIIy Public
Is safe With Outsiand-
ing Governments Securities

WASHINGTON, April Secretary
Mellon to-day called upon "The Plate
Printer official organ of the plate
printers union employees at the Blu
rcnu of Engraving and Printing, to fur
nish him Immediately with any evil
dcnce upon which that publication
based its statement that the country
had been flooded with millions Of
counterfeit banknotcs, bonds, wlr say
ings and other stamps, war bonds and
coupons. Such evidence. he added,
would be investigated at once.
"The Plate Printer yesterday pub
lished an article connecting what it de-
clarcd was flood of countc rfeits with
the recent reorganization of the bureau
by President Harding involving the
removal of Director James l.. Wilmeth
and other officials.
In letter to Frank J. Coleman,
editor and business manager Of "The
Plate Printer" Mr.. Mellon said that
Statements of this sort rejecting as
they do upon the government bonds in
the hands of investors, are calculated
to cause widespread uneasiness upon
the part of such holders, and at the
same time, if uncontradicted, might
tend to iniure the credit and standing
with the public of the securities Of
the government
Circulars Sent Out
Mr.. Mellon added that it has been
the custom of the Treasury to send
out circulars describing every coun-
terfeit issue when discovered and re-
quested that he be furnished with any
evidence other than that contained in
such circulars.
mo information has come to the
Treasury" he said, "of any overissue
or counterfcitinC of United States
bonds or coupons attached to the same.
CAS- regards war savings and other
stamps, banknotes and other forms of
currency, attempts are made from time
to time to counterfeit the issue or
raise the denominations of genuine is
sues. The Treasury is constantly on
the alert to stop such attempts. In
substantially every case where efforts
have been made On any considerable
scale the guilty parties have been ap-
pretended and brought to trial and
their activities ended.
"Thc Secretary of the Treasury de-
sires to state in the most emphatic
terms that the public need have no
apprehension as to the genuneness of
the government securities and currency
outstanding.'
Report on Bureau Nearly Ready.
The report of the special committee
which has made an inventory of the
stock Of the bureau probably will be
completed this week according to high
Treasury officials, who, however. did
not indicate whether the report would
be made public by Mr.. Mellon or would
be sent to President Harding.
The situation at the bureau was dis
cussed to-day at a conference between
President Harding and Chairman NC
Fadden Of the House Banking and Cur
rency Committee Mr.. McFadden said
that good progress was being made on
the check-up of the bureau
The bureau reopened Saturday, but
it was indicated that, while the count
of the stock on hand had been COM
pleted, there were details to be checked
over before the final report was made