New-York tribune., 1920-12-30
Gee Disaster
|ToU. S. Liners
InProlsibitio,1 In
,,cifc Coast Shipping Men
Say Enforcement Would
Cause the Scfapping of
Ocean Passenger Fleet
Menace of Seizure Seen
,earch of Baggage Owned by
yoyagers Is Threatened,
When They Beard Vessel

pseiic Coast shipping interests are
.,.tssting strongly against the pro-
,sssl TO apply the enforcement of-pro-
.;si.ion 70 American vessels whether
s,v are in American waters or not.
!. the scope Of prohibition is extended
!. ,bs manner indicated, Pacific Coast
aiming men declare, American pas
,.ogsr liners vii be relegated to the
crap heap.
sFuily 50 per cent Of the cost OF a
,.sscneer vessel has been expended to
nske her suitable for passenger carry
nrs says a statement issued at San
rraseisro. "She has to have speed,
s,sclal accommodations and many con-
,eniences for passengers. If her pas
uurer trade is lost, her entire value
IS vessel is destroyed because she can
rot be operated as Z cargo vessel on
,ach high initial investment and cost
Il operation; hence her Immediate out
IVog Is the scrap pile. The law simply
ammo. be enforced and permit the yes
hi to ride the seas
How in foreign port can passen-
gsrs' baggage be searched before be-
in, placed on shipboard >" asks The
Singing Register What self-respect-
!as passenger would permit il? Hence,
low would it be possible to prevent
.a:oxicants being carried Oh board the
sip?
Legal Complications Seen
an'a passenger is found on ship
board with intox,cants in his posses
lion who Will arrest him ard deliver
hin to the authorities at the first
United States port? What effect would
the arrest OF passenger on shipboard
aaye on the business Of the steamsh D
line?
as it to be understood that passen-
.srs travelling on American lines are to
hs subject to espionage that does not
prevail on foreign lines,
Immediately passenger steps on
hoard vessel Of the United States q
Measure Of personal liberty that he
les been accustomed to is taken away
ron him. No- so on foreign vessel.
Can 1t be doubted which flag would Sc
,sre the trade? How would i be pos
ihs, for the American lines TO con-
inHe business with the consequent
lass Of passenger revenue2.
Beyond all this is the danger 70
he carrier A vessel under the Law
ri -, J..
automobile What steamship line
EenId want to risk seizure Of S3,,-
WaAe0 vessel, which is entirely pos
iible under strict enforcement OF
The prob bition law? And # the law is
ast to be strictly enforced, Of what
ssa is it?
Disastrous to Shipping
Summing up the matter the enforce
aent Of United States prohibition laws
10 the high seas would soon relegate
aGr passenger lines = the scrap heap,
as they could not exist ON cargo trans
portation alone Over half L billion
iollars is invested in American pas
sager liners, fully half Of which IS
ablic money. What propaganda is at
work to destroy the American merchant
lallHe Nigh. we not suspect the ma
Ions that would profit thereby?'
The American Steamship Owners
association, with headquarters in New
ierk, which represents all the large
american lines, has voiced its opposi-
aon 10 the extension OF prohibition tc
vessels outside OF American waters
nd a committee OF this organization
aas visited Washington and conferred
Eish Officials Of the Bureau Of Internal
ssvenue. The shipowners have pointed
ut that extension Of the law will IN
lure seriously the ability Of the Amcri-
an merchant marine to compete sue
'sssfally in passenger traffic with FOR
dgn shipping.
No announcement has been made
..sTever, as TO the attitude Of thc
Treasury officials in regard to the
goxst.