The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-18
BY BOB MATTHEWS
-(Staff -Writer)

Wilmington is the headquarters
FIR the North Carolina district O.
the United States Customs Service
During the past fiscal year thu
district was one of the fastest grow
ing and most progressive ports O.
entry along the South Atlantic sea
board.
The district ranked sixth in thu
nation in customs collections, re
ported a healthy increase in thu
number of entries of merchandise
handled, and collected it's revenue
at a cost of SO cents per 500 valua
ton, much cheaper than the nation
al average of 1898.
Personnel
The personnel Of the Wilmington
HEADQUARTERS office includes: Joh1
Bright Hill, collector of customs;
C. Snead. assistant collector: Tho
mas Hunter, S. F. Highsmith, o. c
Crawford, and Herman Davis, de
putty collectors.
Keith K. Kimmell and W. F. Nc
Twain, customs guards; H. W. Sass
patrol inspector; Mrs. S. c. Alexan
der. Miss Carrie B. Harriss, ant
Miss Stella r. Beasley, clerks; ant
Mrs. Juanita Barden, typist.
Deputy collectors in charge o
six other ports of entry in the dis
trict include: William J. Griffin
Winston-Salem; J. N. Highsmith
Durham; Marvin E. White, Reds
vile; Miss Olive Longest, Beaufort
Mrs. Fannie G. Elliott, Elizabetl
City; and Mrs. Annie P. Taylor
Washington.
The collector of customs is charg
ed with the enforcement of the neu
trality laws pertaining to ships ant
shipping.
It is his duty to see that nj
American vessel is granted clear
ance to any port within the comba'
area; that no American citizen b.
permitted to travel on a bel.igeren'
vessel or a foreign vessel whose
voyage carries her within the com
bat area.
Cash And Carry
That no merchandise is permittS
to be exported to q b%elligerent with
out right, title, and interest having
passed, which is in effect the so
called cash and carry provision O.
the Neutrality Act of 1899.
1t is also his duty to detect, where
possible, the departure from port OF
a vessel suspected of carrying fuel
supplies, men or information to 6
belligerent vessel at sea
Since many of the neutrality laws
have not been previously invoked
due to the fact that they were
either passed while this country
was at war, or included in the
Neutrality Act of 1889, the action
of the several collectors with re-
spect to enforcement of neutrality
necessarily establishes precedents.
For example, the invoking oil
Section 81 and 80 of Title IS
U. S. Code, in the case of the
motor boat Lekala, was the first
time these provisions of law have
been enforced since their enact.
ment.
The enforcement of neutrality
laws places quite a responsibility
on collectors of customs in view
of the fact that they are charged
by law in many cases with theil
enforcement.
Since there are no p~recedents, II
is necessary that discretion BIZ
used in invoking any statute, OF
otherwise this country might pos.
sibly become involved in serious
diplomatic difficulties with Other
nations.
Oldest Branch
The United States Custom Serv-
ice, although a branch of the
Treasury Department, is older thar
the Treasury Department itself
The first Customs Revenue law
passed on July 4, 1889, was the
oSSoAd UA4 SACoICO Wy Tile LIS
Congress.
1t met in New York City, an6
the first act created the Depart
ment of State. Representative Mad
ison, who later became the fourth
President of the United States, in
troduced a resolution providing TO,
levying of duties on imported mer-
chandise.
These new duties were declared
to be necessary for the support
Of the government, for the dis.
charge of the debts of the United
States, and the encouragement ano
protection of manufacturers"
The Act of July 81, 1889, created
Customs Districts and ports of en-
try. This Act authorized the ap
pointment of customs officers an
prescribed the procedure to be fol
lowed in collecting customs duties