Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-12

New York, Oct. Il CBy the A. P)-l Ofhclals of the Cunard line announced tonight that they had launched steps 70 bring a test case in the United States supreme court of the ruling Of Attorney General Daugherty that ships flying foreign flag could not bring liquor TOT passengers within the three-mile limit.
 The line sent its attorneys, Lord, Day and Lord, of New York, to Washington today to confer with the attorney gem eraI and to arrange for petitioning for onl injunction to restrain the government from putting the liquor ban into effect Tined attitude of the American steam ship Owners association, however, as ex- pressed in an official statement issued today after meeting of directors, IS l that it will peacefully abide by the Daugherty ruling. if the prohibitionists will, as a reward, lend their support 10 the ship subsidy bill now before con gress.
 After enumerating the disadvantages | which private American vessels, running dry. will suffer in competition with for eign ships the association said;
 There is but one way in which this disadvantage can be met and that is by national aid along the lines now pro- vided for in the national shipping bill The association believes that the friends of prohibition appreciate the sit-
 uation and will be among the strongest advocates of giving to American ships
 every assistance that is necessary to
 maintain and upbuild the merchant ma
 rine"
 The associations stand was against any concerted effort to retain liquor on
 passenger ships by recourse to legal ac-
 tion, saying it felt the situation Is one
 which should be left to individual com
 panies."
 "Tn the judgment of the association
 however, 1t Is foregone conclusion that , if the interpretation of the attorney gen.
 eral is ultimately sustaoted, American
 ships will be placed at such great dss advantage that national aid must be i'm mediately given merchant marine aa' foreign trade developed" the directors ti statement continues.
 '"The loss in profits to American ship: g from the sale of liquor VIII be incense
 quentiai, and really is not substantia
 factor in the situation. The serious los, will come from the driving of passenger 2 to foreign passenger ships, not only T g the transatlantic trades. but more par s ticularly in the trans-Pacific, South ant
 Central American and West India,
 trades, where all ships customarily toucl s at intermediate foreign ports." Virtually all officials of foreign owne' d lines announced 1t would be their polio, : to Tive up to the law, no matter whs
 the cost" and to await the outcome o
 the Cunard lines test of the validity o !, MT. Daugherty's rulin.
 Il P. A. S. Franklin, president of the In e ternationaI Mercantile Marine, said sue o would be the policy of his line, slthous t he believed ''it Is our legal right to carr.
 wines and liquors as stores to be con
 stunned during the voyage"
 \ Shipping board craft already are b; e ginning to experience a serious falling l. off in passenger trade, said Mir. Frank D lin, although he would not ascribe tn
 slump to the prospect of arid voyagel
 ''The fact remains, however, that | e the last few days cancellations of res , ervations have been coming in thick an $, fast" he said. He named two sma ,- ships, each of which carries about 10
 passengers. which lost from Is to 2
 passengers by last minute cancellation ,- On the larger ships the percentage ( 1t cancellations has risen by leaps an W bounds in the. last day or two. he d.: lt closed.