Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-17
EFFECTIVE WORK
Continued from Page One)


ten communications inspected 49,
$40 freight cars and collected total
revenue amounting to Sl,o0l, 500.
This is an increase of GAG percent
over the collections of the previous
fiscal year and is believed to be by
far the largest increase in the Unit
ed States. This increase was made
possible to a great degree by the act
i've operation of 13 automobile patrol
units as as auxiliary force in addi-
ton to the personnel at the station
airy offices along the coast and bor-
der.
Preventing Smuggling
Preventing the illegal importation
of contraband merchandise especial
ly Intoxicating liquor and narcotics.
In this branch of customs work
the patrol units travelled 3d., 154
miles along the Maine border last
year. During the year the coast was
organized by the creation of a GUS
toms patrol force consisting of five
boats and by the assignment of four
7o-foot coast guard boats to this
area, with a base at Rockland and
with instructions to the command
ing officer to operate his boats I'M
oer the general direction of the col
lector of customs and in close CO.
operation with the customs forces.
Orders were also issued to the life
saving crews along the coast of
Maine and New Hampshire instruct
ing them to perform regular patrol
duty in cooperation with the GUS
toms forces. Instructions have also
been issued to all the lighthouse
keepers on the coast to report sus-
picious activities Immediately to the
nearest coast guard station.
Seizures made last year total 344o,
| including S1,057 bottles of intoxicat-
ing liquors. 5000 gallons of whiskey
and 2030 gallons alcohol. Where
these seizures involved automobiles,
teams or boats, the vehicles were
forfeited and either sold for the BEN
eft of the government or assigned
to the use of patrol officers in the
enforcement of the customs laws.
In this connection it will be of in
terest to the public to know that
while under tire State law or the
Nolstead Act a mortgage or other
claim held by an innocent third
party on a seized vehicle is a good
! defense against forfeiture. such de-
| Tense is of no avail against a Gus
| toms seizure.
The most burdensome and exact
| ing responsibilities of the customs
! service is a new requirement of the
| Tariff Act of 1922 providing that all
vehicles entering the United States
| from Canada must report at the
, nearest customs office. This makes
it necessary for the convenience of
| travellers that practically 24-hour
| service must be maintained at Gus
| toms Offices near all the principal
| roads leading across the internation-
al boundary. There has been n good
! deal of speculation by Chambers of
| Commerce, automobile associations
and other interested persons as to
| the number of tourists that actually
| enter Maine in the average season.
| The figures now available in our of
| flee give some hint as to the extent
| of this tourist traffic. During the
year ending June so, 1926, 99S, 501
vehicles crossed the International
| border from Canada into Maine and
reported at various customs Offices
| The number of tourists would aver
age more than two in each automo-
| bile. so that it is safe to say that
more than 100000 persons entered
| Maine from Canada that year. To
| be sure many of these travellers
( were local people out on the Otner
| hand it is we'll known that the great
! majority of our summer visitors who
arrive by automobile, cross over one
| or the other of the six trunk line
| highways entering Maine from New
Hampshire. 1t is evident, therefore,
that the largest previous estimate
| of the number Of automobile tour
lists has probably been too small and
one tries to imagine the amount Of
/ work involved in the inspection of
| 100000 automobile touring parties.
J will gain some idea of the burden
! placed on the customs service by
this necessary provision of the Tar
| if Act now in force.
Other Duties
! It is the duty of the Collector of
| Customs and his Deputy Collectors
! at the various ports on the coast to
administer and enforce numerous
provisions of the navigation laws.
xxx
! Collector Milliken explained the
policy of General Andrews, that he
holds the customs authorities re-
sponsible for the prevention of liquor
| smuggling across the border, the
| customs authorities with the assist
i ance of coast guard responsible for
| the prevention of smuggling on the
| coast. the prohibition unit RESPONSE
+. BILE for violations in the interior with
special reference to conspiracies in
volving interstate importation of in