The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-20
LIQUOR ISSUE MAY'
 ENDANGER SUBSIDY. FOR J. s. SHIPPING.
Prohibitionists in Congress Will Not Permit Uncle Sam to Engage in Sale of
 "Wet Goods"
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau. The Age Herald
 ROO DayIdaon HuiIdi


 Washington. June 19.-(Special1- The ship subsidy bill, since the reve- lation that liquor Us sold on Amer ican vessels, is endangered The idea of giving a subsidy is not popular, in the first place, although many members of Congress. believing 1t necessary for the maintenance of e merchant marine, were prepared to support it. But prohibitionists In Congress, 1t is indicated will not dare support the bill when they are aware that by their votes. they would set tip first class saloon. for the patronage of the rich, in every ship which sets sail under the flag of the United States.
 Uncle Sam will have to retire from the liquor business, according 10 every indication. While Albert E. Lasker, chairman of the shipping board, declares tht he Is standing pat" ard while the treasury depart mcnt has issued a ruling that 1t is legal for the United States to sell liquor beyond the three-mile limit. end, Uncle sam will come from be- hind the bar.
 It would not surprise the average congressman were the Attorney Gem eral within a reasonable time, to is- sue an opiLien that a ship of the government, railing under the flag of the government, is territorial.
 Like BootlegEer
 The analogy between Pncle Sam and the ordinary skulking bootlegger is well defined and incontrovertible. The latter takes advantage of the first deep shadow to dispose of the t ice l.I !, .oEa Sam, likewise, takes advantage of his first opportunity to sell liquor for financial gam. His shadow" is the three-mile limit.
 In view of such analogy. Uncle Sam will have to take off his white apron or suffer the collapse of pro- hibition in the United States. At present, all that sustains prohibition. it Is pointed out. is the fact that 1t ts in the Constitution and the gov ernment supp it. If the govern mert fails to support it. and treats it with the contempt that the average citizen buys or suffers liquor Nto be bought without rising up in arms against it-the foundation will as- suredly give way, in the opinion of congressman.
 When debate on the subsidy bill starts in the House, 1t will be pri- marily prohibition debate. It is not believed that the subsidy bill can be Lut through the House un- less it Is made known that Uncle Sam will Lot sell liquor. For while the frown Of the professional prohi- bltionist Is not as terrifying as it was once upon a time. 1t is still suf- ficiently overlapping to make the average congressman jump a fence. l,l s,. a |. gressman, and the average congress- man. It is also admitted, either takes a drink CT tolerates the illicit trsf- fic and consumption of contraband liquors.
 Bill k Dear to Harding The subsidy bill is close to the heart of the President. The admin istration regrets that the situation has become so pregnant with danger for it's bill. Before the revelation, smooth sailing, comparatively speak ing, was ahead. Prospective ship owners were delighted in that the subsidy to be offered would consist not only in money but in the more valuable concession, the right to sell liquor under the protection of the flag.
 Wayne B. Wheeler. head of the prohibition lobby in Washington, on previous ccca sions so ready with bold denuhciation of every project calculated to injure the cause of pro- hibition, in this crisis Is exceedingly mild. He has not moved against the government. He has contented himself with abusing Adolphus Busch who brought to the attention of the President the liquor business of the government, and with advocating a law requiring all ships coming into the United States to pour their li- quors into the sea. He argues that if an English ship has no advantage over an American ship, the prohibi- tionists of this country will just as socn ride an American ship.
 It would appear necessary that in regulating it's domestic affairs the United States must assume "entang- ling foreign alliances" if the advice k