The Washington times., 1935-08-03
COUNTERFEIT
OPERATIONS
ON WANE

With the withdrawal of gold
coins from circulation, and with
the mounting prices of silver,
counterfeiting Of coins in the
United States has practically come
to an end.
And the Secret Service, whose
duty it is to enforce the laws
against counterfeiting, is making
things so hot for the men who
make queer" money that they are
going to Europe in increasing
numbers to pass bogue bills on
those who are not so familiar as
Americans with American cur
rency.
This was revealed today by VIII
liam H. Moran, the white-haired
chief Of the secret service. Read
ing over the Treasury Department
confidential report showing a
large increase in the number Of
counterfeit bills seized and the
number Of counterfeiters arrested
Chief Moran refused to be
alarmed.
Situation Well in Hand
On the contrary he feels that
his men have the situation well in
hand. He explained:
"There are about seven billion
dollars of currency in circula-
ton. And I doubt very much II
there il half million dollars In
counterfeit bills out, which Is .
very small amount Of the total
money in circulation.
Recently i'm California q gang
organized, and planned to do
business on . large scale. They
spent about $4,000 in assembling
their equipment, getting print
ing presses, plates, paper and
inks. They made their first run
of money and started out to
cash it.
1.-THE first bill they passed
was 1T a gasoline station. The
operator was suspicious, took
the number of their car and no
titled authorities. And we cap
tured them before they could
pass another" bill. All are now
serving long prison terms"
The counterfeiters themselves
are really responsible for theil
capture, the chief explained. He
said:
CAN'T MAKE GOOD BILL
"They can't make o really
good bill. And people are so
used to paper money that they
can spot counterfiets in q Sec
Ond. In the first place, the coun-
terfeiter cannot obtain the paper
the Government uses, with its
silk threads which give it . dis
tinctive feel. They try to ini-
tate this paper, but have never
succeeded.
"And then there is the matter
of ink. Try as he will, the cOun-
terfeiter ca never get the same
color as the Government uses.
Look at these"
From his desk the chief pulled
out an envelope containing mum
Der of counterfeit bills. They were
Of all denominations, and some Of
the best specimens ever found, he
said. But the fact that they were
counterfeit was apparent at q
glance.
Comparing them with the origi
mails the difference in color was
marked. And the paper had a fa1
different feel from genuine bills
Chief Moran said:
TT is getting more and more
difficult for cOunterfeiters to
get by with their money. The
increase can be traced in o way
to the depression. Since it
started there have been in
creases in all types Of crime"
There is no central counterfeit
ing ring as there were liquor rings
during the days of prohibition
Chief Moran. explained:
C0unterfeiting is the work Of
individuals or small gangs as a
general thing. OF course many
of them have underworld con.
nectiOns in order to dispose of
the money after they have made
it."
The simplest way to detect a
counterfeit bill, he explained, is
to look at the portrait on it. He
said:
"On q real bill the portrait
is a fine steel engraving. But
on q counterfeit it is dull, flat
just a printing. Look at the
portrait on any bill you re-
1 IL A.AM