The Washington times., 1921-08-08
Rum PROBLEM
VEX|NC SIDE TO
D|SARM MEET
concIave Agitates Delegates
Who Bring Thirsts With
Pacific Ideas.
BY HARRY l.. ROGERS,
Inferno tional News Service.

IntefnatiOuai -No"S cNs'ssNs
That part OF official Washington
which Is opposed to the principles OF
Mr.. Volstead is awaiting with interest
a decision on the question of whether
the disarmament conference, which
convenes here in November. is to be
wet or dry. Those who agree with
MIR. Volstead are also Interested, ana
are expected to have considerable TO
say IL the decision goes against them.
More than q thousand foreigners,
varying in rank from prime minister
to messenger, are expected to come
to Washington In connection with the
conference. The British delegation,
II is estimated, will number hardly
less than 200, while those OF France,
Italy, Japan, and China will probably
fall little short Of that figure.
Belgium, The Netherlands. and
Portugal may be represented formal
ly, and whether they are or not will
undoubtedly have considerable dele
cations on the ground: In addition
observers are expected from pracu-
cally every nation in the world. to say
nothing of hundreds OF representa-
tives of the foreign press.
u. s. Only Dry Delegate.
or all countries to be represented,
the United States il the only one
blessed, or cursed, with prohibition,
and the question naturally arises as
to whether these guests Of the ma.
ton must, while in Washington. do
as the Washingtonians do. The boot
leggers are hoping for an affirmative
decision, but others. including some
rather influential Administration Of.
ficials, feel otherwise about the mat
ter.
1t is recalled that William Jennings
Bryan set a precedent in the matter
of diplomatic beverages when, as Sec.
rotary Of State, he. served grape juice
at state dinners, much to the disgust
of the good diplomats then and there
assembled. If Mr.. Bryan had the
courage to uncork grape juice on such
an occasion before the nation went
dry, It is pointed out in diplomatic
quarters, he can almost certainly be
depended upon to take up the cudgels
for the cause of grape juice IL the
disarmament conference gives prom.
Use of humidity.
See Bad Example.
Aside from these more radical OPP
ponents of John Barleycorn there In
an element which feels that 1t would
be unfortunate IL existing laws were
interpreted more freely in order that
visiting delegations may n6 be de
prived OF their wee nip.
Despite these arguments. the opin-
ion prevails among those closest in
.ouch with the situation that the for
eign statesmen will not suffer from
thirst, II they are sufficiently inter
ested to bring their own liquor. or to
have 1t shipped in from time to time
as the stock runs low. Under rul-
ing by the Secretary of State and the
Attorney General in the last admins
tration, ambassadors and ministers OF
foreign countries are held to be i'm
mune from the operations of the pro-
hibition laws.
The leaders Of the foreign delega-
tons will undoubtedly have ambas-
sadorial rank. and any private stocks
they care to bring will therefore be
protected under the privileges extend
ed to ambassadors and ministrs.
Dry Bureau Silent.
Those who favor letting down the
bars assert that from the point of
view of international courtesy there
is no difference between the thirst of
a stenographer and that of a premier.
1t would be beneath the dignity of
the United States. they argue, to
bring as guests to this country a
thousand and odd foreigners who
since childhood have been accustomed
10 something stronger than water, and
attempt to cram prohibition down
their resisting threats.
The prohibition commissioner has
not yet announced the attitude Of his
department on these momentous ques-
tons. 1t is understood, however, that
he believes in a liberal Interpretation
Of the law, so far as the disarmament
conference Is concerned.