Testified by Consul-General Washiggton, Jan. 16.
Diamond smuggling into the United States is now so. well organized and so strongly entrenched that it cannot be stopped oF effectively controlled by the means of detection available, Mr. George W. Mossersmith, American Consul. General at Antwerp, testified before a House Committee, "The only possibility of yelief Ticg in a change in American import duties which would make it unprofitable for the smuggler to carry his Business," the witness said. He added that although for three or four years after the War diamond sinaggling into the United States did not increase, it has now reached such proportions that it iv beyond control. The witness told of one ease where a single American merchant "purchased ax much as 6-$500,000 worth of diamonds the markets of "Antwerp and Amsterdam and returned. to the'
United States without having d2- clared any of his purchases.
"In interviews with the leading merchants in the diamond trade of Antwerp." Mr. Messersmith said, "asked them why they did not organize to exelade smuggling merchants from their clubs. They replied that 80 per cent, of the members, and even of the Boards of Governors, were—themselve engaged in illicit" operations."—Reater,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.