Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-07
PROHIBITION
EXTENDED To
3-M|LE L|M| I
No More Liquor on US.
Ships; Foreign Craft
Restricted in Rule.
Alien Ships Must Keep
Away From America
ifCarrying Intoxicants.

Washington, Oct. 6.-(By the As
sociated Press. ALI vessels, Ameri-
can and foreign owned, are pro-
hibited from having liquor on board
in American territorial waters under
an Interpretation of the prohibi
ton amendment and the enforcement
act handed down Friday by the de-
partment of justice Moreover, the
transportation or sale of intoxicants
on American craft, wherever operated,
was held to be inhibited.
American territorial waters were
construed to include those not only
within the three mile limit of con-
tinental United States, but also those
pines, the Hawaiian isalnds, Porto
Rico, the Virgin islands and Alaska.
The law would not apply in the
Panama Canal zone, as that zone is
specifically exempted by the statute
itself.
So far as American ships are con-
cerned, the sale or transportation of
liquor will cease at once, or as soon
os those vessels reach their home
ports. In the case of foreign ships,
the decision will become operative as
soon as the necessary regulations can
be prepared and promulgated by the
treasury uepdIIDucuL-
Court Action Faced
Court action looking to a final de-
termination of the application of
American dry laws to foreign ships
entering American ports was fore
soon by both Attorney General
Daugherty and Chairman Lasker, of
the shipping board Mr.. Daugherty
said he already had been advised that
case was about to be filed which
would bring the issue to the supreme
court.
Chairman Lasker was of the opin
ion that the first move Of foreign
lines would be to seek an injunction
restraining the government from en-
forcing the law. He said it was rea-
sonable to suppose that the courts
would grant such an injunction with
a result that foreign ships would con-
tinue to arrive with liquor on board
until there was final decision by
the highest court. The attorney gem
eral said his department would coop
crate in every effort to expedite
ruling by the supreme court.
Publication of the opinion of the
department of justice followed
White House conference to which
President Harding summoned Mr..
oStlCiuIlES AlbShCo anu
Mellon, and Chairman Lasker. Va
rious phases of the situation were
discussed, including the possible re-
suits of enforcement upon the interna-
tional relations of the United States.
No Alternative for U. S.
High administration officials ex
planned that there was no course for
the executive branch of the govern
interpreted by the legal department.
The Interpretation was based upon
recent decisions of the supreme court
in a case involving the authority of
the United States to interfere with
the transfer of a liquor cargo from
one foreign ship to another in an
open port
In a divided opinion, the court con
firmed the authority of prohibition
agents to prevent such a transfer,
and in the view of the attorney gen
eral, went so far as to hold that the
eighteenth amendment and the Vol
stead act repealed a prior existing
treaty with Great Britain.
Chairman Lasker predicted that en-
forcement of the law would operate
to an immediate disadvantage of the
American merchant marine and would
make more necessary enactment of the
ship subsidy bill, if the American
flag was to stay on the high seas.
An undoubted effect of enforce
ment, Mr.. Lasker said, would be to
hamper the board in its efforts to
build up American shipping to the
Orient and South America. He ex-
pected Vancouver, B. c., to profit
at the expense particularly of Seat
tie and Portland, in the Oriental
trade, and Montreal at the expense
of New York in the South American
trade. Also he looked for Montreal
to gain over New York in trans
Atlantic trade.