Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-09

bers of the under world nave taken
to aircraft with all the enthusiasm OF
World War aces, and within the last SIX
months the problem Of control over these pfeo-
atory invaders of the upper air highways mas
suddenly become the dark cloud on the horlzon
of the Federal authorities.
Aerial warfare against this new type OF out
law is the Governments answer to this defiant
challenge of the underworld. small ana
hardy band of aviators known as the united
States Customs Air Patrol has already cap
tured about 80 airplaneS flown by smugglers'
and with a very refreshing lack OF puohchy
and with extremely modest equipment has
established a reputation along the CANADIAN
border. on the Florida coast and on the Mex
ican boundary where captures have been made
of planes in full flight.
with the invisible import into the United
States of diamonds, pearls and other rare gems
from Amsterdam and other ports OF Europe,
and with the illicit smuggling Of aliens rum
and narcotics there is lost to the Nation each
year a sum that is conservatively estimated at
sips 100000 by the United States Department
Of Commerce.
THIS astounding evasion Of lawful income
due the American taxpayer by the MEM
bers of these smuggling syndicates has become
a serious matter In these days Of financial
anxiety and fully explains the determination
of the Treasury Department to reduce this
particular deficit to- its lowest terms
The romantic haze that has hitherto yelled
the quiet arrival Of smugglers OF Sandy HOOK
was rudely pierced last year by the discovery
of the startling number Of notorious criminals
who we're said to be using our waterways with
the utmost freedom. The taxpayer who had
been inclined to regard the smuggler with an
indulgent eye prior to the reports on the Lind
bergh kidnap case suddenly realized that many
of these river pirates of the Chesapeake and
of Marthas Vineyard have little to learn from
their notorious comrades of the Yangstze River
gorges in China.
Apparently there was this one difference.
Pirates in the Far East may still be using
boats; in America the use of high-speed motor
boats and automobiles equipped with machine
guns and poison gas is also supplemented with
the fullest use of aircraft.
It is evident that something more than old
time methods are required to tame the modern
criminal Thus the experimental efforts of
few pilots flying to protect the United States
customs has now become so successful that
today the Government has an active little
combat squadron Of some 16 planes to take OIL
after the smuggler to any altitude that may
be required to bring him to terms. The in
sigma of Uncle Sam is now becoming as fa-
mar at 10000 feet to the pilot who attempts
to smuggle narcotics over the international
boundary line as it is to the aviators with a
couple of Chinese in their cockpit and law
and order over the Sierra Range is consid-
cred as important as it is at Buffalo, N. Y. or
Detroit.
Some of the members Of this Air Patrol are
only around % years of age, according to
Acting Commissioner Dow of the United States
Customs Service in Washington. The pilots
have all been selected from within the depart
ment and are listed on the rolls as mounted
inspectors" in accordance with an old custom
that dates back to the era of Teddy" Roose-
welt. He issued an executive order while Presi-
daDt which exempted his farqous Rough Riders