Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-10-17
BITTER FIGHT ON
OVER DRY SHIPS
Battle Opens Today in Court
on Attorney Generals
= Ruling.
HELD UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Doubt Whether Liquor in Sea
Stores Comes Within Scope of
Eighteenth Amendment.
HELD UNCONSTITUTIONAL
" the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, October 17.-Whether
the mere presence of liquor in sea
stores on foreign vessels comes with
in the scope of the eighteenth amend
ment and the national prohibition act
Is the real issue in Attorney General
Daugherty's dry ship ruling. said Van
vechten veeder. counsel for the White
Star line, in arguments today be-
fore Judge Hand as to the validity of
the ruling.
Mr.. Veeder declared that foreign
vessels had been allowed to carry
liouor in their sea stores ever since
prohibition became effective. and this
right was not questioned until Octo-
Der 8. when the Dausherty opinion
Mr., Veeder was the first Of a num-
Der Of lawyers Tor American and for
eign ships to present arguments be-
fore Judge Hand on the hearing OF
temporary injunctions restraining
the enforcement authorities from put
tin into effect the ruling forbidding
all ships, leaving port after October
FL. to carry liquor under seal to or
from American ports.
Array Of Counsel.
A distinguished array of counsel
was present. representing the Ameri-
can prohibition authorities. the Treas
ury Department and the cunard. An
Choir, White Star. French. Holland
America. American. Red Star and
United American lines. and the Inter
national Navigation Company.
The government forces were pre-
pared to present arguments to show
cause why they should not be perma-
nently enjoined from putting into
effect the provisions of the Daugh-
erty ruling. Attorneys for the steam.
ship companies were prepared Tor a
bitter fight. 1t was stated by repre-.
sentatives of both factions. that. nc
matter what the result of the hear
ings, the test cases would be brought
before the United States Supreme
Court.
All of the American lines of the
ciation and foreign lines. such as the
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
the Lamport and Holt, the North
German Lloyd and others in the
transatlantic and South American
trade, will await the results of to-
days hearings. before taking action
Enforcement at standstil.
Action by the enforcement agents
against either foreign or domestic
ships is at q standstill. according to
H. C. stuart, acting collector OF the
port. who said he had been instructed
to mark time by the Treasury De-
partment. Meanwhile crews of French
vessels in port here had their usual
rations of wine today. foreign ves-
sells sailed with liquor on board.
either to sell 1t outside the three
mile limit or to keep 1t sealed to
dispose Of 1t in foreign ports: Ameri-
can vessels, unfavored by the exten-
sion of time until October 21, sailed
under the "bone-dry regime"
Millions Involved.
Millions of dollars in property.
trade rights and good will are said
to be at stake, while counsel for for
eirn lines have claimed that infringe
ment of treaties between American
and foreign countries and violation
Of foreign laws are points involved.
The fight against the DaugheTty
ruling was begun early last week by
the Cunard and Anchor lines. which
were Joined by the American lines OF
the International Mercantile Marine
thus furnishing the test cases FOR
American and foreign ships. The
main contention of the steamship
companies will be that the Daugherty
ruling Is unconstitutional.