The New York herald., 1922-02-27
u.S.FAILS TO CHECK
FLORIDA SMUGGLING
Aliens, Liquor and Drugs
Still Pouring In Along
the Coast.
ONLY SMALL FORCE
Few Boats Expected to Pa
troll Line 1000 Miles
in Length.
MAKE A JEST OF LAWS
Blockade Runners Continue
Active With Government Do
ing Little to Stop Them.
MAKE A JEST OF LAWS
specie, Dispatch to THE New rosK HgrALp.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. Feb. 26 I


New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c.. Feb. 20. !
Government officials are making
to check the wholesale smuggling of
rum. aliens and narcotics along the
Florida coast. Blockade runners have
made jest of the customs, immigra-
ton admits that officials are helpless.
Aliens barred from this country by
the law are coming over the Florida
peninsula in hordes. liquors are COM
cotics to a degree that is not known
because Of the secrecy in their use.
Though the twentieth, century oiracy
Of the West Indies was brought to
public attention In THE NEW York
HERALD several weeks ago no positive
step of any moment to correct the sit
uation has been made.
Supporting the picture OF conditions
official statement was made by the Labor
Department that In one week last sum-
ner when blockade running conditions
were good several hundred Chinese
were arrested, wandering aimlessly on
the Florida roads. They had been landed
by blockade runners. Friends failed to
meet them and they wnnd dered until
local authorities rounded them up and
summoned immigration authorities to
take charge.
Florida has coast line OF moro than
1000 miles, measured in line around
the peninsula. In fact. the coast line,
with the measurements OF inlets, bays.
islands and navigable streams included.
runs many thousands OF miles
To protect this coast line from the
swarm of rum, narcotic and alien run
ners who inhabit the haunts cs ancient
pirates, the United States Government
In four Of It's branches has a total
available force in Florida of less than
$50 persons. None OF this force is ac-
tually patrolling the coasts, with the ex-
ception Of several small boat crews or
the coast guard.
So far as can be oflcially learned
through definite statement, the Govern
ment 10 making no direct or serious
effort to check coast running in any of
it's branches.
Some days ago the prohibition Office
let 1t be known In mysterious manner
that the smugglers were to be swooped
upon from the air, the sea and the land
In combined and well directed stra-
tegic attack to be engineered and off,
hxy fAva Yvl.A
pendous war Of determination was to
bring righteousness and respect for the
law. In generalities It was impressive.
Pinned down to performance II Is
largely Of the future. In fact, a num-
ber OF special agents under direction of
Special Agent L. 3. Henson recently
were sent into Florida. They, however,
are merely studying" the situation.
preparing. It Is stated. for the sending
of larger force which will do the real
work.
The air fleet is composed Of one arr
plane. This plane Is reported as not
only out of service but as never in
service. Sherman Cuneo, press agent
Tor the prohibition office. will not deny
or confirm this. He states that he has
been ordered to say nothing about the
planes. not even to the extent Of deny
ing or confirming reports that the air
feet had subjugated a British vessel
and brought It captive to port with
1900 cases of liquor aboard.
The fact that the capture was wide
~ reported In the press OF the country
is perfectly satisfying to the prohibition
officer.
Nevertheless II Is officially made
known that Federal forces are being
modified for intensive warfare against
the swift smuggling fleets of the West
Indies. Outnumbered many times over
$50 Federal officers on duty in the State
are waging an unequal battle against
tho swarnls of armed and death dealing
pirates stealing through the count
less hidden Waterways. Commissioner
Haynes has announced his intention of
using every means he can command to
rid the Florida waters of smugglers
Assistant Secretary OF Labor PenninE-
ton describes the alien smugglers as
hard boiled and without any ethical in
cumbrance. He tells Of reports received
through the consular service of smug-
giers taking on a cargo of Chinese, run
ming them up and down the Cuban coast
for several hours and then putting them
back ashore In Cuba. secure in the belief
that they had been landed on American
soil. Such cases, however. were in the
minority. II Is officially admitted that
in reality the only captures made OF
aliens are In the cities and on tho high
ways Of Florida.
When the smuggled men do not sepa-
rate they are reported by local authori-
ties and rounded up. The highways
from the southern part OF the peninsula
are well defined. II Is impossible for
aliens and even bootleggcrs to negotiate
the everglades. They must take the
main highways up either coast and they
are for the most part intercepted on the
roads.