ner whatever or receive any contribution of money or any other thing of value for any political purpose what

ever.

1883, sec. 13,

Art. 1176. Refusal to contribute.-No officer or employee Act Jan. 16, of the United States mentioned in the civil-service act 22 Stat., 407. shall discharge, or promote, or degrade, or in any manner change the official rank or compensation of any other officer or employee, or promise or threaten so to do, for giving or withholding or neglecting to make any contribution of money or other valuable thing for any political purpose.

1883, sec. 14,

Act Mar. 4,

nal Code, sec.

1110.

Art. 1177. Prohibited contributions.-No officer, clerk, or Act Jan. 16, other person in the service of the United States shall, 22 Stat., 407. directly or indirectly, give or hand over to any other 1909, Fed. Peofficer, clerk, or person in the service of the United 121, 35 Stat., States, or to any Senator or Member of the House of Representatives, or Delegate to Congress, or Resident Commissioner any money or other valuable thing on account of or to be applied to the promotion of any political object whatever.

No person in said service shall use his official authority or influence either to coerce the political action of any person or body, or to interfere with any election.

No person in the public service shall, for that reason, be under any obligation to contribute to any political fund, or to render any political service, and he will not be removed or otherwise prejudiced for refusing to do so.

rule 1, sec. 1.

Art. 1178. Political activity.-Employees in the competi-Civil-service tive classified service shall take no active part in political T. D. 31010. management or in political campaigns.

This rule is also applicable to unclassified laborers. Art. 1179. Rewards and gratuities. All officers of the customs are prohibited from soliciting or receiving any reward, gratuity, or loan from persons engaged in the importation or exportation of merchandise, or having business with the customhouse or with customs officers; also from charging or receiving any fee or compensation, whether as notaries public, or otherwise, for service in any manner connected with the customs, and are further prohibited from loaning money to their fellow officers or employees at usurious rates. Any violations of this regulation will constitute just cause for dismissal from the service.

T. D. 30890.

T. D. 32043.

T. Ds. 31562,

31606, 31752, 32732,

31684.

HOURS OF BUSINESS AND SERVICE.

Art. 1180. Hours of business.-Customs offices shall be open between the hours of 9 a. m. and 4.30 p. m. all days of the year, except on Sundays and national holidays, and, so far as the transaction of public business will permit, on State holidays and half holidays. These hours may be prolonged when the necessities or interests of the public service require it.

The national holidays are January 1, February 22, May 30, July 4, the first Monday in September, and December 25, and such other days as may be designated by the President. If a holiday falls on Sunday the following day will be observed.

Art. 1181. Hours of service. The official hours of offi32043, cers, clerks, examiners, and employees, except those here33979, 34872. inafter specified, will be from 9 a. m. to 4.30 p. m., with a half hour for lunch.

33275,

T. D. 34557.

The official hours of the following employees will be: Boarding and discharging inspectors, assistant weighers, not aided by United States laborers, and sugar samplers, from 7 a. m. to 6. p. m., one hour for lunch.

Other inspectors, assistant weighers aided by United States laborers, gaugers, laborers, and outside messengers, from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m., one hour for lunch.

Openers and packers, 8 a. m. to 4.30 p. m.

Storekeepers from 8 a. m. to 5.30 p. m., one hour for

lunch.

Customs guards and night inspectors not less than eight hours.

The above hours may be extended as the needs of the service demand, and such extension shall be without additional compensation, except as is provided for in the act of February 3, 1911.

From June 15 to September 15 of each year four hours, exclusive of time for lunch, shall constitute a day's work on Saturdays for all clerks and other employees of the Federal Government wherever employed. This regulation does not apply, however, to any bureau or office of the Government or to any of the clerks or other employees thereof that may for special public reasons be excepted therefrom by the head of the department having supervision or control of such bureau or office, or where the same would be inconsistent with the provisions of existing law.

OFFICE RULES.

Art. 1182. Reading, smoking, etc.-The reading of newspapers, smoking, loud conversation, or other conduct interfering with the orderly dispatch of public business, or the congregating of idle persons or loungers in the corridors or elsewhere in public buildings will not be permitted.

Art. 1183. Admission out of business hours.-No person not connected officially with the Customs Service shall be allowed admission to a customs office except during business hours, unless by special authority of the head of such office.

Art. 1184. Confidential information.-The information contained in invoices, entries, manifests, and other papers or documents filed at the customhouse, must be treated as confidential, except for the purpose for which such documents are required to be filed.

All officers and employees of the customs are prohibited, unless expressly authorized so to do by the Secretary of the Treasury, from giving out information contained in such papers, except to the importer or other party directly in interest or to his authorized agent.

The disclosure of the information contained in such documents, except statistical data, or the disclosure to one importer or exporter of information relative to the business of another importer or exporter acquired by the officer or employee by reason of his official employment, will constitute grounds for dismissal form the service; and, if done for a valuable consideration, will subject such person to criminal prosecution.

T. D. 32016.

1875, 18 Stat.,

6, 1914. 38

Art. 1185. Traveling regulations. Only necessary ex- Act Mar. 3, penses for transportation and subsistence while absent on 452; act Apr. official business under proper authorization, actually in- Stat., 318. curred and paid by the person traveling, shall be paid, and the amount incurred and paid for subsistence shall not be reimbursed in excess of $5 a day.

Customs officers other than inspectors of customs are prohibited from accepting passes or free transportation, and inspectors of customs may accept such transportation only when traveling on official business in the interests of the transportation company, or for the purpose of examining baggage and similar routine duties. Requests for free transportation for inspectors may be issued only by the collector or special deputy collector.

T. D. 34583.

T. D. 33140.

T. D. 33755.

Such requests shall state specifically the name of the inspector, the particular customs matter that necessitates the use of the transportation, and the points between which the transportation is desired.

Collectors of customs shall forward to the Department, between June 30 and July 15 of each year, a list of all passes and free transportation requested and issued to customs inspectors in his district during the preceding fiscal year, giving the names of the transportation companies, the names of the officers receiving the passes, the points covered by the transportation, and the customs business which necessitated the traveling.

Collectors and other officers of the customs, before calling at the Department on official business, must write or telegraph and obtain specific authority therefor before coming to Washington, stating the business concerning which they desire to call and the necessity for presenting the matter personally.

Art. 1186. Indebtedness of employees.-Customs officers will not act as agents for the collection of debts contracted by customs employees, but employees will not be retained in the service who persistently refuse or habitually neglect to pay their necessary personal and family

expenses.

The payment of loans for which usurious interest has been paid or contracted will not be enforced, but employees who habitually borrow at excessive rates of interest will not be kept in the service. No person will be retained in the service who engages, directly or indirectly, in loaning or negotiating loans to his fellow employees. Employees offending in either of these particulars, after having been warned, will be reported to the Department.

The presentation by the creditor of a judgment of a court of law will be accepted as conclusive evidence in cases of indebtedness for necessary personal and family expenses incurred while in the service.

Bills or claims presented by professional collectors or attorneys acting as collectors will not be recognized, nor will debts contracted by persons at a time when they were not in the service.

Art. 1187. Custodians.-Collectors or other customs officers appointed as custodians of customhouses and other public buildings under control of the Secretary of the Treasury will have charge and supervision of the buildings intrusted to them, and will be governed by the regulations and instructions concerning the duties of custodians furnished by the Department through the office of the Supervising Architect.