Evening star., 1925-04-02
BY GEORGE C. BRIGGS,
Correspondent of The Star and the Chicago
Daily News.

Correspondent of The Star and the Chicago
Daily News.
HAVANA, Cuba, April 2.-Immi-
grant smuggling from Cuba Is carried
on chiefly by ships of the bootleggers'
fleet. Here IS irony. The bootleg in
dustry, and consequently the business
Of systematically setting the immi-
grafton law at naught, is controlled
chiefly by Americans. And Americans
are loudest in their complaints about
the practice Of bribe- taking by Gu
bans. Yet 1t is Americans who made
the practice seem necessary in some
official quarters.
Business men from the States found
years ago that they could expedite
commercial deals and speed the ma
chinery of government by lavish gifts"
well distributed Those gifts" gave
American business interests a nice
edge over foreign competitors. But
such "gratuities" soon became indis-
pensable where the habit of receiving
them was formed. And, not satisfied
with bribing Cuban officialdom, GER
tain INSCRIPTIONS Americans have
sought at times TO corrupt their own
country's official agents here.
Two stories are told of barefaced
attempts to bribe n former American
consul at this port for the specific
purpose of getting women into the
United States in violation of immi-
grafton restrictions The attempts
were made during the administration
of Consul Theodore NJ. Fisher, who
was transferred at his own request
last fall to a post in Scotland.
.Money Was No Object"
Not long before his departure Mr.
Fisher was approached in his home
by an American said to be a we'll
y, nrly INtruf i
ness man. This patriot was anxious
10 have admitted to the United States
a young woman described as having
the physical charms of a Venus de
Milo, and morally about as many
qualifications to enter the States as
the Venus de Milo has arms.
The business man proceeded eau
tiously as he thought. Instead of
presenting his plea at the consulate
he telephoned there asking Mr.. Fish
er to grant him an interview. at
home. That aroused Mr.. Fishers sus-
picions. He could not well refuse to
see the self-invited visitor, but when
the latter arrived he seemed cha
grined to find that a group of Mr.
Fishers friends had dropped in to
play cards.
The consul, suspecting, had invited
them. They remained in an adjoin
ing room with an open door between
and pretended to play cards while
the conference progressed. Unfor
tunately for the trap thus laid. Mr..
Fisher lost his temper and ended the
meeting abruptly when the visitor
supplemented the plea for the young
woman by insinuating, 'Of course,
you understand, money is no object"
Again Money Is Easy.
Soon after this incident a similar
but more subtle attempt was made
In behalf of another girl
This same consul was called on the
telephone by one of the foremost
jewellers of Havana and asked to stop
in at his store. The two were good
friends and the consul attached little
significance to the invitation.
When he arrived at the jewelers.
the proprietor said: Il have pc
culiar message for you. wealthy
client in New York has asked me to
find if you have a sister or some
dear friend to whom you would like
to make a gift"
"Why?" said the consul.
IF there is such a one l am in
structed to ascertain her address and
to ask you to pick out something
that would please her-a bracelet, say,
or a wrist watch or necklace-any-
thing in the store worth up TO $500.
Your friend has a fine sense Of
humor." grinned' Mr. Fisher.
My client is interested in a charm
ing young woman-ah, senior, most
cha rming.'
And Lady Was Eager.
Fisher began to realize that
serious game was afoot. He watched
for the next move. 1t came.
You see my American client is
anxious to marry the young lady of
whom / have spoken" said the
jeweler. "She is a foreigner and
cannot get her passport vised so that
she can enter the States"
If he wants 70 marry her he can
come to Cuba and marry her." the
consul interrupted. That would en-
title her to enter our country"
That is true, no doubt. 1 do not
know his motives. But L do know
that If you could find it convenient