The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-06-14
LIQUOR SALE
AT SEA LEGAL
Ruling Announced by Chair
man Lasker


WASHINGTON. June i4.--saie Of
liquors outside the three-mile zone
on shipping board steamers and
other ships flying the American FLAG
W legal. tho shipping board has dc.
clded.
Chairman I.arker made this known
In n letter 20 Adolphus Busch III.
who transmitted a letter from hts
father. August A. Busch. president
Of Anheuser Busch. IN which u was
charged shipping board steamers
were selling all kinds 81 liquors and
that this was a violation ~ the Vol,
stead law, which made tho United
States government ''eompa rahly the
greatest hootlcgRer IN the world"
shipping board steamers, Busch
asserted. ''are the wettest on the
ocean," ana passage II being sold
with the positive money back guar
sntee" that tho bars will be opened
outside tho three mile limit.
The letter was written on board
the steamship George Washington
and Busch claimed more liquor was
sold on this vessel which Is the
property Of tho shipping board. than
on any vessel on which he has
crossed the Atlantic. The letter was
forwarded 10 President Harding.
To support his charges. August
Busch presented facsimile repro.
auctions Of the alleged wine iist
~ the George Washington. This
gave tho prices OF all kinds Of
wine. champagne. beer. cocktails.
Scotch. rye and moonshin~ H.
auor. cognac. rum and other bes.
craxe-. Johnny Walker" and
''IIaig 4 ffaig" were quoted at
20 cents q drink. while -Amert
can uoonshinr" was listed si 20
cents. Manhattan. Martini and
Bronx cocktails were quoted az
from rs 60 IS cents.
Busch also presented a rrrroduc.
ton Of an advertisement IN the Paris
ec.ssun 81 the New York Herald. IN
which II was stated that "ehoice
wines and liquors" would be sold on
the George Washington. the panhan.
die State and tho Centennial State.
Tho shipping boards position.
which 10 based on ruling by its
general counsel. Elmer schiesainger.
In In direct conflict with thu ruling
OF Solicitor General Frsernon of the
Wilson administration. who held that
''the law follows the flag"
our general counsel. and snhae.
nurntiy his two chief aa1istAnts. :"
I.asker wrote Busch. rendered the
decision that merchant ships beyond
the three mile limit were not within
the meaning Of tho term as used In
the 18th amendment. territory sub
lect to the Jurisdiction OF the United
states. and that. 'herefor~. neither
the yolstcad act nor the 18TH amend.
nient applied TO the American mer.
chant marine when outside the three.
mile zone"
fasker then asserted that the sale
OF liquors on American ships was
essential to their successful operation
under present conditions.
so long ms Great Britain. Japan.
France. Germany and other maritime
nations continue 20 serve liquors 60
American passengers. ! arm ashamed
20 state that my experience leads me
20 believe there r. n sufficient mum.
her OF Americans without proper
pride In their own flag ships who
would divert their trade 10 tho for
eign fiagx. 10 the extent that the
composition would be from a profit.
operating standpoint very heavily
against the American ships"
I.asker bitterly denounced Busch
for his alleged motives In making hIs
charges against the board.
II believe you TO be- thereby
selfish. and that you are acting
In the hope OF creating a public
revolt against prohibition. 80
tbnt you may again revive the
sale Of your liquor. utterly re-
gafdic.s Of how you might hurt
the American merchant marine
In the effort to create a situation
that would benefit your brew.
cry" I.aster wrote Busch.
1T u. Of course. notorious that
Adoiphu- Busch. who founded
your brewery. was possibly the
kni~er's closest friend in Amer
lea. and that your family for
many years has maintained
castle In Germany. Your aftion
In any event WIN not dispiease
your German friends, whose
greatest hope Of restored Ger
man merchant marine Is 10 hurt
Americas newborn merchant
marine"