Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-07
ALL LIQUOR ORDERED
OFF AMERICAN SHIPS
AND FOREIGN GRAF
naughsrty Rules Vessels OF
Other Nations Must be Dry
Within Three-mlle Limit.
LASKER FEARS TRADE LOSS

Wal opinion WnlSn oai' oi1
ins liquors. from American sniis'
wherever ,hcy may be. and prohipi,S
foreign ships from touching Ameri-
rau ports or territorial waters win
lailp,~ aboard, whether bonded, seai-
ell Of otherwise kept from use or as
trlbutlen.
THE decision Is the most far reach
ing yst made under the Eighteenth
Amendment. IL operates to
Proven, shipping Board vessels
from selling or Transporting
liquor even between foreign ports
Prevent privately owned Amer
ican shlpa from selling or trans
porting Nauor. no matter where
they may be.
Prevent foreign ship from SELL
Ing or Transporting liquor IN
American territorial waters.
Prevent any foreign ship. carry
ing lau.r even as ship stores
from touching at any American
port for any purpose.
The last inhibition also makes IL
impossible for u foreign vessel car
ry.ng liquors 10 put into Hawaii TUT
90 Rico, the Virgin Islands. Guam
or the Philippines. The Panama CanaI
Is exempted by the Nolstead act
Orders Issued nj Once.
President Harding issued immediate
Instructions 20 Chairman lsasker Oh
the Shipping Board TO stop the sale
and transp l'tation OF liquor on snip
pIng Board vessels and 20 Secretary
Mellon to notify all private owners
of American ships and 70 rromulgate
the necessary notice and regulations
for reign ships.
Acknowledgement Daugherty pre-
scented his opinion during the Cao'ne'
session. Secretary Of State Hughes
and Secretary OF the Treasury Mellon
remained after the meeting To discuss
-he opinion and measures for enforce
ment of the law as interpreted.
Chairman lasker OF the shipping
BOARD hurried 10 the White House
when he received word Of the opin-
.on. lie was : Ia the Nolstead act and
Supreme court decisions. particularly
,he Holmes decision of last May. were
conclusive and there was no loophoie
or pcssibi!itv OF ContraVenOon. After
the conference Chairman lacker SAID
This is a severe blow 10 the Amerl-
can merchant marine. American ships
are put at tremendous disadvant-
age"
Secretary Hughes discussed with the
President the effect OF the decision
upon foreign relations. 1t was con
siderrd to create a rather delicate sit
uatfcn. but one which cannot be es
capped.
So far as American shipping Il
! concerned the decision VIII be mad'
| Immediately effective. All shipping
Board vessels Will turn in their stock
So prohibition officers upon arriva
al home ports The stocks will be dis
posed Of in accordance with law. TIL
means that they can go only 10 hos
pitfalls or Wholesale druggists.
Time for Foreigners.
For~ign ships will be given due no
tice and the customs division Of tn
Treasury Will Issue regulations 70
their guidance. This will take time
Contest Of the right OF this Govern
ment to stop foreign ships from trans
PORTING intoxicsnts in American wa
tiers is expected from all the big for
elgn shipping companies and appli
cation Of The decision 70 foreign ship
probably Will be contested throug
Injunction proceedings and appeal
from penalties whenever they are lev
led.
Nearly all foreign ships carry lquo
as sea stores. a sufficient quantity 70
consumption by. Ulcers ARA crews. Til
applies even 10 fre!ghters.
Foreign passenger liners can evad
the law by carrying a supply 10 IN
three mile l!mi: and then dlsposln
OF II by dropping any surplus ovei
board or by putting il off On a shi
anchored outside territorial water
end picking il up again on the wa
out.
While White House and Cabn'
officials declined 20 make any officii
mment on the pracucabilitX OF er
forcement against foreign ships. thei
wassa distinct impression that II n
Supreme Court upholds the Daughel
~ opinion then a change in the ia
necessarily VIII follow 10 prevent ser
Gus international Implications
disruption OF normal foreign con
merce and passenger travel.
The decision, rendered at the r
quest OF Secretary Of the Treasury
clarity the situation as TO the carr.
ing OF liquors. places the broadcast pc
slble construction upon both the'liqu'
amendment and the Nolstead enforc
ment act. Il is sustained and supp r
ed by copious quotations from s.
preme Cour; decisions an d interpr
tations OF the organic law
With the government already az
vised that a case is about TO be fiji,
which would bring the issue as
foreign ships 10 the Supreme COul
Chairman Lasker was of the opiniC
that the foreign lines would first see
10 restrain enforcement Of the law |
an injunction. which ne said. il w
reasonable TO suppose the cour
would grant.
Mr.. Lasker foresaw not only a st;
OF enforcement as 10 foreign ships
this course. but also expressed Il
opinion that regardless of the decisi'
OF the supreme court American shi
would be placed at a permanent dl
advantage citing as an illustrate
that even though the interpretati'
as TO foreign ships We're upheld
would not prevent their selling liqu
up 20 the three-mile limit, where /
naming stocks could be dump
overheard. The Shipping Board chaI
man further expressed the opinion q
enforcement would undoubted
hamper the boards efforts TO build
American shipping 10 the Orient a
South American merchant mari
would make more necessary. he sa
enactment Of The ship subsidy bill
the American flag was 10 stay on {
high seas.
The opinion handed down by {