The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-07

| WASHINGTON, d. c., July THE /
counterfeiting of money has increased
to hitherto unprecedented proportions /
In the United States and is causing
much concern to the Secret Service OF
| the Treasury, the Federal agency
which is charged with the suppress
ion of this species of crime OF par
ticular interest is the fact that for
the first time in history. women have
entered the counterfeiting profession. |
presenting new problems. for the Gov
eminent experts.
The increase in counterfeiting be-
gan shortly after the Armistice and
has been growing noticeably since
then. 1t is regarded as a part of the
phenomena of crime which every
great war brings in it's wake.
A curious effect of the war while
it was being waged was that it re-
suited in an almost complete suspen-
sion of money counterfeiting in the
United States. There were two good
reasons for this. First, native born
Americans are seldom found in the
!. business 1t is department of crime
in which foreigners, and especially
southern Europeans, engage. Under
the reservist system of military SER
vice which obtains in nearly all Euro
pean countries, these foreigners liv-
ing and counterfeiting in the United
States were called to their home col
ors and thereby forced to abandon
their profession here. In the second
: place the war upset the channels of
, distribution of counterfeit money and
J turned the thoughts of Rll men, inolud-
,
But after the war the profession
came back stronger than ever with
: many recruits. Four million Ameri-
: cans were under arms They were
, taken by the war from their accus-
toned vocations and pursuits and put
F.. into life which, despite its manifold
hardships and dangers, was life lack
ing in responsibility No one in the
Army had to worry about earning
money enough for his next meal. 1t
came from the Government, as much
a matter of course as the sunrise. AL
so, the very idea of an army is the de-
struction of property and life. To be
: sure it is the enemy's property which
! is to be destroyed but among many
youthful and irresponsible persons the
fundamental idea of contempt for
property rights persists and makes
few bounds for itself. 1t was natural
: that among soldiers who for year
or two had followed this irresponsible
existence there would be some who
! lacked the force of character to re-
: turn to the drudgery of hard work.
: They wanted easy money, so counter
!. feiting as we'll as other departments
of crime received fresh recruits.
More Money to Counterfeit
Another strong reason for an in
!, crease in counterfeiting resulting
: from the war was that there was an
1 increase in the number of kinds of
q money and securities to counterfeit.
When there are but a few kinds OF
n money in general use, the people be-
q come so familiar with their appear
; ance that they quite readily detecJ
v any fault in design or general appear
I ance But when there are many new
n and unfamiliar kinds. the people are
n at a loss to know whether or not they
S have genuine money.
Twelve Federal Reserve Banks were
established at the time the war began
and all issued currency of two kinds:
Federal Reserve Notes and Federal
). Reserve Bank Notes. Also, the Treas
/ ury issued billions of dollars in LIB
5. erty Bonds, Victory Notes. War Saw
J ings Certificates, thrift stamps, and
J Treasury Certificates of indebtedness
. These were all new to the people and
of unfamiliar design. They CONSTITUTE
: ed a paradise for counterfeiters.
. One of the most difficult obstacles
= for the counterfeiter is the distinctive
:, paper on which Government notes are
! printed 1t is made by a secret pro
cess and has so individual an appear
!, ance and feeling that almost every
IF one can detect a substitute. All de
e nominations of American money arr
n printed on notes of a uniform size
n Therefore a favorite device of tho
If counterfeiter is to take 81 bill and
E. raise its denomination. He viii
a. bleach it and have a piece of nearly
l. white distinctive currency paper o"
W which he will print a note of higher
d denomination Such notes are hare
g to detect, especially if the counterfeit
er prints a $50 or 500 note of new
J. and unfamiliar series.
:, Another scheme is to take note
S, and change only the figures. Thi;
a proves a snare to the counterfeiter i
q he gives such a note tc man famil
:. lar with the designs of money. Sucl
~ a man knows that a $40 note has :
y buffalo in it's design, but no $50 no
~ $500 issue has. This sort Of counter
II feiting has increased with the new
:. money because the counterfeiter!
= know that few people are familia,
:. with the designs of the various new
issues.
: The same is true of the Liberty
. bond issues. No two issues are alike
W and a counterfeiter changing the de
r nomination of a 500 bond to $1,000
ie could readily be detected by one WHIT
l. had studied bond designs.
10 Experts in Secret Service
]. The Secret Service at Washingto,
re has many experts who are very hare
t. to fool with even the cleverest coun
B. terfeit, and while counterfeiting ha