The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-24
THEIR LAST
CHANCE
SEEN
Rum Ships to Run Gauntlet as
Coast Guard Makes Ready
for Winter
By ROBERT s. THoRNBURGH

By ROBERT s. THORABURGH
:. Rum smugglers are TOobilizing
for a heavy attack on the Atlantic
coast, with a promise to thirsty
Americans for a merry holiday
season, according to information
obtained by United States Treas
ury agents today.
Twenty or more ships are being
outfitted at Nuremberg, Nova
Scotia, the British liquor base,
while others are loading at Mas
sau, in the Bahamas, st. Pierre,
Nova Scotia, Havana, and other
foreign whiskey centers.
Steamers in Rum Line
Reports from special investigators
who went to Halifax disclose the
fact that American money, chiefly
from New York, is backing the new
smuggling ventures. Several steam
ers are included in the reorganized
fleet Of ''rummies," all sailing under
foreign registry.
Rum runners believe the Coast
Guard has relaxed its vigilance OF
the North Atlantic coast and viii
not be able to put up strong
resistance against smuggling before
the rum patrol is made permanent
by Congressional action.
One official declared the SNUG
glers will make a final attempt to
cash in unload their surplus
stores OF liquor and then get out
Of business.
The word has been passed among
the liquor merchants that Secre-
tary of the Treasury Mellon will
recommend to Congress the APP
preparation OF sufficient funds to
create a new and more powerful
rum patrol. equipped with seagolng
vessels capable Of ending SNUG
Cling.
Last Chance to Cash In
Rum ship shippers have been
warned that their last chance for
a ''big killing" will present itself
I'm the next few months, while the
Coast Guard is preparing for
winter navigation protection and
before Congress acts TO make the
patrol a permanent governmental
function.
EXnauSI0Q STOCKS OI Al NAO
United States, following the gov
ernment's drive off the North
Atlantic coast, have increased prices
and promise rich returns to the
successful .smuggler.
Officials said that the new at
tack of the rum trust would be met
with a sufficient force to make IL
improbable to attempt liquor
smuggling.
They pointed out, however, that
the, fight against smuggling mas
shifted from a near-shore PROPOSE
ton to a deep sea job. Rum Row
now is 100 miles off the New YORK
coast, constantly shifting, with an
occasional ship slipping in close
to shore under cover OF fog.
Fast Launches Employed
Some fast launches are operating
from Long Iisland and a few car
goes of rum are reported to have
reached shore within the last few
days. Three or four "ruInmies"
are said by officials to be within
Q short distance Of the coast, but
all of these are being watched by
coast guard craft.
About ten or fifteen rum vessels
are 100 miles off the North Atlantic
coast, according to the Treasury.
Under new conditions the 800
small boats, built by the Govern
ment to break up smuggling, are
obsolete. Congress may be asked
to appropriate sufficient money
for additional sea-going cutters, but
no more small craft will be con-
structed, officials said.
Captain w V. E. Jacobs, who
was an important figure in break
ing up the New York rum fleet, is
now organizing a similar offensive
against Pacific smuggIers. Jacobs
IL in charge Of the coast guard
station at San Francisco, and, al.
though operating with small force,
has made several large seizures,
officials said