The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1922-10-20
President Directs Observance
Of the Law
u. S. LAW ALSO APPLIES
TO FOREIGN SHIPS HERE
Must Not Transport Or Possess in
j. S. Territory
SHIP COMPANIES FIGHT RULING

Sale of liquor on American boats,
heretofore permitted by the Shipping
Board, is inhibited in an opinion
handed down October o by Attorney
General Dsugherty. Moreover, the
transportation or sale OF intoxicants
on American craft wherever operated
also is declared illegal.
The President of the United States,
in letters to the Secretary of the
Treasury and the chairman of the
shipping board directed the enforce
ment of Prohibition in accordance
with the ruling by the Attorney
General.
Letter to Mellon
President Harding's letter to Secre-
tary Mellon follows:
MY Dear Mr.. Secretary: ! have
asked the attorney general to place in
your hands his ruling relating to the
application of the Eighteenth Amend
ment and the Nolstead act to the
service and the transportation of in
toxcating liquors on American ships
at sea and the transportation of intox-
icating liquors on all vessels within
American waters.
The ruling, you will note, holds all
transportation in American waters to
be contrary to a recent decision of the
Supreme court and transportation and
traffic on American vessels to be
wholly contrary to law.
81 have directed the chairman of the
United States shipping board to order
immediate observance of the law on
! ali government vessels, and desire You
to give like notice to the masters of
all privately owned ships operating
under the American flag.
/ Order to Frame Regulations
"Hou will note that the rulins holds
the possession or transportation of all
Intoxicating liquors by foreign ships
IN American waters to be contrary to
the decisions of the court. You will.
therefore, proceed to the formulation
of regulations for the enforcement OF
the law. and such notice TO agents Of
foreign shipping lines touching Amer
ican ports or docking therein as be-
comes the circumstances and commits
us to full enforcement of the law.
Very truly yours,
Warren G.. Harding
Harding's letter to Mr.. Lasker
said:
My Dear Chairman Lasker: | am
/ III receipt of the opinion of the attor-
ney general in response TO formal
request for ruling on the applica-
ton OF the Eighteenth Amendment
and the Nolstcad act to the sale Of
liquor on American ships and the
/ transportation Of liquors on any ships
in the territorial waters of the United
States.
Requests Immediate Action
THE attorney general, in a review
of decisions handed down by the
/ Supreme court. holds the opinion that
/ the carrying or the service OF ntoxi-
eating liquors on ships under the
American flag, whether privately
owned or operated by the United
States shipping board, is contrary to
+ the Constitution and the law, and that
foreign ships are prohibited from pos
session or transportation of intoxicat
ing liquors within the three-mile limit
of our shores.
In view OF this ruling | am writing
/ TO direct the discontinuance OF the
transport and the service of intoxicat-
ing liquors on all ships owned.
operated or leased by the United
States shipping board. The service
should be prohibited at once, and all
TRANSPORTATION, either as cargo or ship
stores, must cease at once on ships
now in home ports, and on ships at
sea or in foreign ports Immediately
after docking in home ports.
Orders Notice to Private Owners
This will enable the disposal Of
ship stores for the lawful purposes
contemplated under the statutes. The
secretary of the treasury will issue
equivalent notice to American ships
under private operation.
Very truly yours,
Warren C. Harding
In later letter from the President
to Secretary Mellon enforcement was
postponed, enforcement 50 far as
] privately owned American vessels,