The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-01-17

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second day out from Quebec. Two
or three of us in the smoking room
were comparing the relative ad-
vantages of the Canadian and New
York routes, and the general feeling
seemed to be that the irritating
formalities which any Britisher
passing through the United states
had to comply with nowadays made
the great Republics place to be
avoided.
A tall, keen-faced man, with the
indefinable stamp Of the sea, broke
| into the conversation, speaking
quickly and rather nervously. And
all they succeed In doing" he said,
lis to worry the average visitor
quite unnecessarily. Anyone who
has real reason for getting into
the country can do 1t easily enough.
81 have just been over for a week
or two. ] landed on the coast, IN
small motor boat, and got upset
in landing, which was a bit :lwk-
ward, as / had $4,000 in notes on
me. went up to New York, stayed
there long enough to do my business
and came out through Canada with
out any trouble.
Later in the evening / found him
in the same chair in the smoking
room, and we continued the CONVEX
t,ation.
You probably have guessed what
am doing" he said.
Naturally" 1 replied.
Not Ashamed Of It.
Yes" he continued, ST am a
rum runner, and am not ashamed
Of it. 1t is pleasant life and an
exciting one. / did four years at
sea in the war and came out of
it ruined, and there were not many
ways Of making good living for
man like me five years ago. At
first it was uncertain, but the
profits were high. Now the trade
ing a monopoly. The profits are
smaller. but you know where you
are. Now I have the magenta Sec
ton practically all to myself"
The magenta section -?
murmured apologetically.
YES" he continued. 1.-THE map
Of the coast is colored. and various
sections are divided among the
established runners. Trespassers
are not looked upon favorably and
are very liable to be jumped on by
the Revenue or 'blackjacked.
Blackjacked'?' I queried.
Yes" he said, with a smile,
that's the illegitimate branch of
the profession. Piracy, we call it.
A runner may meet a blackjack
and be relieved OF his cargo at the
point Of a revolver. Latterly they
have improved on this and wait un-
til the stuff has been paid for and
then take the currency. It's quick
er and saves unloading.
(Note by Editor-This occupation
Is called "hijacking" in Rum Row.
Profession Has Drawbacks.
THE worst of 1t is, it is difficult
to complain, and there is always
danger that il you do not have an
honest skipper he may be in with
profession has its drawbacks, and,
as I said just now. our end of it.
which is finished when we have de-
livered the goods off the coast, is
becoming better organized every
day"
What about the danger" ri
asked.
Far less than you might think
If you are really in the SWIM" he
said, with a nervous smile, which
did not seem altogether to confirm
the statement. I'm a given section
you have as far as possible, the
Revenue and the Prohibition people
squared. A dollar a case is the
general rule. The shore police get
rather better rake off But
well.
THE trouble is that you can't
square everybody. There are some
few who won't be squared, and, Of
course, both the Prohibition and
the Revenue people have to make a
demonstration some time. just to
show that they are alive; but as
far as possible they let the regular
trader alone.
Met Revenue Chief
why. when 1 landed in he
United States the other day l was
introduced to one of the chief rev.
nue. officers. the prohibition Of
ficer, the head of the local police
until / began to got nervous.
need not have done so, because
they all looked on me as one Of
their best customers, who could be
relied on to sell straight stuff ard |
do the right thing"
He went on to tell me of many |
strange things-of sudden surprises,
OF cargo sunk ana QUICK escapes, |
of profitab BILE runs, of raids repealed,
of picturesque figures, male and
female. and of fine points as to
the limits of NJ utral waters, argued
under the sudden glare of a search
light and ct the business end of A
four-inch gun; and as he talked I
realized that romance still lives.
AS an amateur economist. two
things had long puzzled me---the
firmness of the pound sterling and
the manner in which we could pos
sibly pay our war debt to the United
States. in view of the fact that the
Fordney tariff was designed to pre-
vent the importation Of manu-
featured goods My friend the rum
runner, seemed to supply the clue.
1t so happened that another Of
my fellow passengers was one OF
the greatest authorities on Anglo
trade and him