Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-01-14
CUSTOMS LAWS BEING.
RUTHLESSLY VIOLATED
FEDERAL OFFICERS SAY
Lack of Coast Guard Equipment
Alleged to Facilitate Opera
ton of Lawless Bands
SMUGCLERS USE BOATS
Conflicting Opinions as to Au-
thority of Boarding Officers
An Aid to Rum Running
BY BOB DORMAN


On Board The U. S. Seneca, off
the Atlantic Coast, Jan. 14.-The
Seneca is steaming along the coast
line Just inside the 12-mile limit,
checking up the activities of the
Rum Fleet.
But it is not only with the snug
Cling of contraband liquor
that she concerns herself, although
that, at present, is the main
thing; but it is with the constant
ly growing menace against the Gus
tom laws of the United States as
applied to other forbidden articles.
For several generations, SNUG
Cling as a business had practically
ceased. But with the advent of pro-
hibition there came into being or
ganizatoins that took advantage Of
the situation to obtain for them
selves enormous profits.
SO comparatively easy was the job
that these same organizations have
now turned their eyes and their tai
ents to other means of profit III
cvading the law; such. as smuggling
narcotics, diamonds, etc, and the
landing Of undesirable aliens,
The two outstanding reasons for
the ease with which smuggling has
been revived, say men in the sery-
ice who knows, are:
First: Lack of proper equip
ment for the Coast Guard Service,
which forms the first line of defense
against smuggling.
Second: Lack of proper legal au-
thorizations.
The New York district comprises
roughly 240 miles of coast line from
Montauk Point Island, to Fenwick
Island off the coast of Delaware,
and extends seward in a south
easterly direction about $50 miles.
To patrol this district the Coast
Guard Service has only six sea-goinG
ships, the fastest of which, the Ores
ham, is capable OF Is knots an
hour; while the slowest, the Man.
haitian, can do only TO-
The smugglers as a rule, use fast
Motor boats, most of which vii.
make better than Is knots an hour.
With the vanishing of the profes
sional smugglers, the service devoted
most of its energies to the aiding
of vessels in distress; to the destruc
don of derelicts and other menaceS
to navigation; to the patroling OF
the sea-lanes to warn shipping OF
iceberg dangers; and to aiding ehC
custom officers in the boarding OF
incoming vessels at New York.
This developed a type Of shiI
called 'long-legged." It was suit
able for the long cruises made neces
sary by the many duties which tool
the vessels Of the Coast Guard, fal
out to sea. But to enable them tC
carry sufficient, supplies for lonl
trips, speed could not be taken hltI
consideration. And the smuggler'
got an edge,
And they got another in the lega
aspect of the situation. For, lawyers
say, several loopholes exist through
which the smugglers are able to es
cape the clutches of the authori
ties.
The law of the land provides tina
the United States has the right t.
board and examine any American
vessel in any water for the purpo5,
Of enforcing the laws of the United
States.
But--Congress has never delegat
s. ed that right to any officer Of thu
government; and it is behind tn,
failure to confer that right on it
law enforcement officers, that marl
a guilty smugglcr captured on TIN
high seas, has gone free.
Another legal difficulty arise
tlNo1+;ppnJ ~ D,mo Turol