The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-02-09
Our Government
How II Operates
OTHER FUNCTIONS OF
THE TREASURY
By Wfliiarn Brucsare

!
government has power to levy inn
posts to be collected at the customs
houses. 1t is an obviously simple
provision, but performance of the
privilege accorded there has been
the basis for probably the greatest
and most prolonged controversy
into which politicians have set their
teeth.
Tariff fights or issues by
whatever name known have formed
the backbone of more campaigns
between the political parties than
can remember.
Millions Of citizens Of our coun-
try know Of the treasury for one
Of two reasons: the money it han
dies or the taxes it collects. A
great many hundreds of thousands
know Of it, however, because of the
customs service that was referred
to. Next to tax collections, the
treasury probably touches more peo-
pie directly through the customs
service than in any other way.
Its primary function was to col
lect those imposts levied at the Gus
toms houses, and it does that Job,
as every importer of merchandise
of any kind can tell you. Not all
imports are subject to tariff duties,
but those on which, the impost is
laid are examined with a fine
toothed comb.
/ Customs inspection is term that
is broad in its meaning. 1t goes be-
yond just a casual examination; it
means, actually, the most thorough
i going investigation. For example,
the tariff law may say that duty
is laid upon an article of rubber,
but it would add to that the phrase
"or of which rubber is the article
of chief value" 1t is up to the
customs inspector to determine how
much rubber is used. Again, the
levy may be laid at 10 per cent ad
valorem, or 10 per cent Of it's value.
The customs inspector and the ap-
praiser of merchandise who work
hand In hand, so to speak, have to
determine what that value is.
i AS I have stated, the customs
service is designed for protection of
the revenues as we'll as for collect
ing properly the duties on merchan-
disc entering ports legally. In pro-
tecting the revenues it has to pre-
vent smuggling, and here is where
another old and distinguished treas
ury service should be called onto
the stage. i refer to the United
/ States coast guard.
The original purposes Of the coast
i guard were named as protection of
life and property at sea and pre-
ention Of Illegal entry Of merchan-
disc. 1t has the added duty of stop
ping illegal entry of liQuor-rum
running-since the nation has been
under the Eighteenth amendment,
but be it said to the credit of that
Organization, every blue uniformed
officer and man Of his crew retains
the first conception of the service
as a tradition to be followed. They
may be found IL the places along
shore that apparently God forgot
but where the storms of the sea
strike hardest, and I have yet to
encounter a single guardsman who
complained of the bitter battles or
hardships which are the lot of the
United States coast guard.
But while attention is directed at
accomplishing public servants, there
is another agency in, the treasury
that must not be overlooked, name
", the. United States public health
service. Here is group of highly
trained men of science who delve
into questions affecting or likely to
affect the nations health, your
health and mine.
| Many is the warning the local pub
lie health department transmitted
to the citizens of community that
had fits origin in the research and
conclusions of the little group of
medical men making up the service
and whose work in conjunction with
state and city health officers extends
from coast to coast. 1t was they,
for instance, who shed the light
of science on parrot fever a few
years ago and taught a nation how
to fend 1t on. Another example !:
they have studied the anti-freeze So
lutions used In automobile radia-
tors and have branded some of them
as dangerous to health because the
fumes given off are poisonous.
No picture Of treasury operations
would be complete without a refer
ence TO the Office of supervising
architect. Especially Is this true
under present conditions, when the
federal government is proceeding
with vast programs OF building.
Every day, the plans for post
Office. or federal courts building, or
custom house or some other build
ing with a public purpose. are be-
ing completed. and they are pre-
| pared by or under supervision of
the architects In the treasury.
Before these architects start
| work, however. a branch Of their
Office has examined available sites
in the city or town where the build.
ing Is to be. consulted with the To-
cal authorities as 10 the needs. pur.