The evening world., 1922-10-11
FOREIGN SHIPS With. LIQUOR
IN THREE-M|LE LIMIT TO Be
SEIZED BY HARDING ORDER
Broadcast Warning Sent to
Ships at Sea Ruling
Effective Oct. IA.
HARDING TAKES HAND.
Foreign Ships Sailing Before
Oct. IA Not Affected
by Ruling.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1l.-Secre-
tary of the Treasury Mellon issued
a ruling this afternoon that American
ships found in possession OF liquor
"tor beverage purposes will be sub
tect to forfeiture to the American
Government, It was authoritatively
learned here to-day.
Foreign vessels sailing from a
foreign port before Oct II with liquor
aboard will be Immune from seizure,
but those leaving after that date will
be subject to this extreme action if
they bring liquor irfto tiie -tfrree mile
zone.
American ships now in foreign ports
which sail for America before oct.
IA will be exempt from forfeiture, but
those sailing after that date will be
liable to connscation If liquor is
aboard, the Mellon ruling will hold
The Mellon ruling, it is understood,
will he broadcast to shipping through
out the world from the Arlington
e.
sular representatives Of the United
States will be Immediately instructed
to convey it to foreign Governments
and shipping interests. Customs Off
cials of the United States will be in
structed that they may take into Gus
tody vessels on which they find
Illegal liquor.
The intention of the Treasury Dc
partment and the Prohibition Bureau
is to formally notify every interested
shipper throughout the world but il
is not the intention nor the oblisa-
tion Of the American Government, 1t
is said, to serve the formal n0ttfiCa-
ton as a subpoena would be served.
II is understood that tn, text OF the
Mellon ruling viii designate rs pro
hibitod liquor, ''liquor for hevcrag
purposes" This, it is said, is TO pro
vide exemption for medicinal liquors,
which are recognized as essential,
This language will also definitely
bar from American waters French
and Italian ships which serve their
crews with wine rations. 1t had been
hoped that tho American Govern
ment might make a concession on
this point, but wine rations will be
construed as beverage and con-
sequently outlawed.
The Mellon ruling will put a stop
TO the alleged practice Of certain pri-
vate American steamship lines in
Ignoring the Daugherty ruling, on tho
ground that they have not been Off
cially informed of its existence. Re
ports have reached here in the LAST
few days that a number Of American
liners have put to sea with their bars
we'll stocked and open for business.
These ships will be intercepted on
the high seas by wireless notification
the Mellon ruling and if they do
SJt close their bars and dispose of
Heir liquor they will be, subjact to
.sizure.
c, stuart, Actng collector Of the
Port of New York, to-day received
from Secretary Mellon Of the Treas
ury Department and forwardSl to all
shipping line offices in this city copies
OF the following letter from President
Harding to Dir. Mellon, dated oct, :.
Supnlementing MY letter Of in
structions OF OcN 6, relating to
the enforcement OF the Eighteenth
Amendment and the Prohibition
Enforcement Act as applied TO
carriers at sea, YOU will please
direct United States Customs OF
ficials to give notice TO all ship
ming liens that pending formula