Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-24
THE HIGH-GRADE CRATER
ny Frederic J. Haskin

washington. April 2s.--There arc n
great many ways OF making money
without working for 1t and without
giving anything real for tho money
received. There are the time worn
gold brick schcrncs md other hoary
old tricks OF the past OF which, how
ever, the public generally never sp-
pears TO become aware, because they
go on and on turning In rich harvests
OF gold to the crooked promoters and
manpiulators.
Washington, rather than New York,
probably furnishes tho best field FOR
this kind OF dishonest work OF high
grade--if that term can rightly DO ap-
piled 10 1t. In the unpublished history
OF Washington for the past 30 or 40
years., II Il could be written, are Some
amazing and often amusing incidents
of this sort.
One source of revenue has sprung
from the fact that often there comes
! TO Congress men Of wealth who have
little else 10 commend them. One OF
these men--and no did not come from
the backwoods, but from very close
to Broadway and Forty street
was so gullible that ne paid a good
round sum TO unscrupulous men he
met to buy" tho influence and good
will Of certain Washington news
papers. Needless 10 say, tho news
papers did not know that their friend
ship was being sold on the streets OF
Washington, and II they exhibited any
good will toward this particular man,
II was BY saying nothing about him.
Another-and in this one members
Of Congress figure as well--ls to Sc
cure the introduction Of some resolu-
ton or bill proposing drastic actions
or laws OF GONE kind Then the
alarm is sounded, and money often
rolls into the Golfers Of the originator
OF the scheme, who organizes a SO
clety to fend off the awful threat
, contained in the piece OF proposed
J legislation. II can be assumed thai
s the Congressman is innocent OF du-
plicity in this matter. Memberships
l in the society are sold, probably at q
:. dollar apiece.
There Is another case OF a consid
e erable amount OF money being mad'
e out OF a diplomatic appointment
4 When this occurred this particula,
e diplomatic post was going begging
= No one seemed to want H. There wa
g a general impression that because o
2 conditions existing then. no one coul'
= acquit himself with much credit an
e glory in the position.
Sure Thing Gambling.
y In this situation. the man who ultI
tol- 40 - a
J. suggested to the wife Of a certai
II wealthy man that he seek the appoint
l. ment Then the manipulation CAV
l. careful directions Row TO proceed
ID Dinners must be given, with a care
'r fully selected guest list. No mentio
IF must be made Of the vacant post I
l. the diplomatic corps. All Of this wa
IS done. In the meantime, this n1s
t nipulator. who really did have certai
'e standing and influence here, had a,
ie certained beyond doubt that the po,
would go 10 anyone who so much q
l. intimated that he would accept It.
V. Naturally, the dinners meant moth
N Ing. That was just TO make the thin
" look hard, and as II influences were &
work under tho surface to obtain Il
?. ment was made. BY prior arrang
a ment--not with the man appointe
L. but with his wife-the manipulate
a. OF this thing was paid sum rumor'
n to. be no less than $4,000.
Id All of these things-nost OF the
OF at any rate-are quite within the la
No criminal statute is fractured
81 the operations. 1t is Just "slicl
ne work.
T. There is the instance Of a certa
at event that was 20 occur in a Iati
ny American country in which Z
American government has been fore
OF TO take n sort OF elder brotherly inte
b. est. Disorders were feared. It "
d. felt that only the United States cou
'al guard against this. One faction
the politicians IN this country had
re private representative in WashingtC
e! He sought out an obscure but su
L. posedly influential man to help hi
an This man did have a wide acquair
ance, and was able TO ascertain quic
'e- ly that the American government n
l.. made up its mind months before
ry take the desired action. This m
he had TO make the Job look hard,
course, and made daily reports
les fanCied developments TO the, repi
I. sentative Of the Laun-Americ
op country. In the fullness OF time, I
Eat thing for which he had been engae
ew naturally transpired. and he collect
IN. his fee-that is, he got half OF