New-York tribune., 1921-01-14
Shipping Men
Ask That i. S.
Lift Dry Ban
Tell House Committee That
u. S. Flag Will Be Driven
From the Sea if Palmer's
Rule Is Not Nullified
Passenger Boycott Seen
Reservations Cancelled by
Wholesale When Liquor
Order Became known
From The Trtbunc's Washington Bureav

From The Trtbune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-American
merchant ships will be forced out of
competition with foreign vessels if the
recent ruling of the Attorney General
that no liquors can be served on ships
flying the flag of this country is put
into effect, declared a delegation of
steamship owners who appeared to-day
before the House Judiciary Committee
hearing on the Edmonds bill, which
would nullify this ruling.
Reservations for American-owned
vessels have been cancelled wholesale
since the decision was handed down.
several witnesses told the committee,
and if it is permitted to stand COM
panies contemplating the purchase of
Shipping Board vessels will have to
abandon their plans for expansion.
"We would be fit subjects for the
psychopatic ward unless we knew, in
taking over these vessels, that we. could
compete on all fours witis foreign
countries, and particularly with Great
Britain" said E. A. Quarles, represent
ing the United States Mail Steamship
Company.
4 Opponents of the Edmonds bill said
that to grant the privilege to ship
owners would mot be in harmony with
the moral standard backing the prohi-
bition law"
Wheeler Opposes Bill
Wayne B. Wheeler, general counsel
of the AntiSaloon League, told the
committee that if such law as the
Edmonds measure is passed it would
multiply the difficulties of law enforce
I ment.
"We have plenty of violations now,"
said he. Every attempt made to in.
vestigate violations of the Volstead act
on these ships has resulted in lot of
resentment on the part of the owners"
Mr.. Wheeler complained that the law
enforcement division has no auth horty
crate within the three-mile limit to
catch "bootleg boats" which, he said,
are operating freely.
Mr. Wheeler predicted that in time
the difficulties confronting the Ameri-
can shipping men will be obviated
! through some kind of an agreement be-
] tween this country and other countries )
striking out such requirements as
those of Italy and Spain that boats
carry wine for their passengers.
Mr.. Wheeler declared that the rail
,,r,1 INT inc
prohibition as the shipping men are
now making, but that the benefits Of
prohibition had made up for everything
that had been lost.
h Representative Edmonds interrupted
Mr. Wheeler and pointed out that con-
ditions under which the railroads oper-
ate in this respect cannot be compared
! with the difficulties faced by the ship
pers The railroads, he said. do not
compete in this way, all being bound by
the same law.
"Forcign ships will handle the big
bulk of ocean travel should the ruling
of the Attorney General that no liquors
| be served on ships flying the American
| flag, even outside the three-mle zone,
be enforced" said Representative Ed
monds.
Reservations Cancelled
no liquor would be served on two Ship
ping Board vessels the Munson Ship
, Company put into service between New
| York and South America, many of the
reservations were cancelled"
A. G. Smith, of the New York Cuban
Mail Company, told the committee that
foreign vessels can come into the Port
Of New York and sell liquors to their
passengers while in port. eve do not
want to sell liquors within the three
mile zone," he continued "but if
American passenger vessels are to COM