Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-15
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

A special drive to tighten up the
loopholeS through which dutiable mer-
chandise from foreign countries is en-
tering the United States without the
formality of payment of cuSto mS tariff
is being planned by the Treasury De
partment, with the possibility that
the results may help tighten the bur
den of Federal taxpayers by swelling
Uncle Sans surplus.
Special instructions have been is
sued the customs force regarding re-
, turning tourists. Others, of broader
scope and aimed at deliberate at
temps to defraud the Government. are
being drafted and will go out soon.
These include realignment of the Spe-
cial agency personnel and closer CO
operation with thousands of potential
informerS.
Experts have stated that. in one
way or another. Uncle Sam is losing
about sac, 900 900 a year that he should
be receiving at the customs ports.
Much of this money Is lost through
unintentional differentiation of mer-
chandise The customs force is en-
tirely too small to handle adequately
the vast volume of imports which are
flooding into the country. Examina-
lions necessarily must be hasty under
ordinary conditions. Congress voted
$17,500,000 for collection of the Gus
toms during the present fiscal year.
Last year, with somewhat smaller
appropria ton. customs receipts were
| nearly $3.50, 900. 000-the highest In the
history of the country. 1t has been
estimated that for every additional
81 900 900 appropriated for the pur-
pose. $4,000, 900 additional in revenue
can be collected.
But while doing the best possible
under the circumstances to see that
proper valuations are assessed against
declared imports, the Treasury is pre-
pairing to fire few special shots at
the modern smugglers.
Two Reasons for Drive.
There Is a dual reason, of course
why attention should be paid the mer'
chandise smuggler. Uncle Sam Is In
terested not only In collecting the Gus
toms tax fixed by law on imported
goods. but Furthermore he is interested
In protecting honest merchants against
the competition of the smuggler.
AS a matter Of fact, smuggling does
not exist In some lines commonly sup
posed to be subject to it-that is, to
any great extent. Furriers Of the
country recently became aroused over
reports that many fur coats anC
wraps purchased abroad were being
entered by returning tourists withou,
payment of duty. 1t was discovered
| however, that the customs service
every year detects hundreds Of cases
where citizens purchasing furs abroad
have not declared them for duty on
returning to the country. and collects
what is due. More than 80 per cent
of such cases are caused by the mis-
| taken impression that 1t is permits
sible to purchase abroad and to bring
in without payment of duty articles
| of wearing apparel which have actual
ly been worn by the owner. Actually
the lawful limit Of such duty-free en-
tries is 500. Certain foreign mer
chants encourage the idea that there
Is no limit.
Some furs are struggled into the
| country and sold here to innocent pur
chasers. Many of them are detected
later-and then the innocent pur
chaser finds that Uncle Sam claims
the fur; that he or she Is subject tc
a fine and that the fur can be retained
only by paying the Government its