The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-14
CHARGES Selfish
MOTIVES BEHIND
ANHEUSER BUSCH
Claims Action Attempt to-
Create Revolt Against . q.
Prohibition. 8
AssAILs PATRIOT 0TIsNI
Points Out That Founder ofs
Brewery Was Close
Friend Of Kaiser.
ASSAILS PATRIOTISM

WASHINGTON. June 14.---Thea
Shipping Board holds that either
the Volstead nor the eighteenth
amendment apply to American
ships outside the three-mile limit.
Chairman Laskar declared in
letter to Adolphus Busch, third
vice-president of the Anheuser@
Busch Brewing Co. of st. Louis
Confirming reports that alco-
holic drinks were being served ont
American ships at sea, Mr.. Las
kar asserted that the Shipping
Board had approved this custom
both from the standp oint of leaI
right and from the standpoint of]
the life and securities of our na;-;ss: IS
tional merchant marine.
THE Shipping Board has pers
mitted and will continue to- per-s
nit the serving of liquor on itssi
ships" he continued. $50 long as
foreign ships are allowed to- en--ss enl-5s
ter and depart from our shores
exercising that privilege -
While it was true, Mr. LaskarE
general ".in the prior admin ntstra7s
tion' had held that the prohibi
ton. laws were effective on amer
ican Shipping, twheresye peratd tee
, present general counse Of the
Shipping Board his INCONSISTENCIES
and the chairman himself were
convinced that such an S opinion
was not soundly based and had
E4I, 1ic,fxy JNaaS
sidered as regular equipment Of
boats operated under the boards
supervision, for use however, only
beyond the jurisdictional costals
line lss u = y 4
THE prior chairman had issued
orders that the Palmer opinion
must be respected" Mr. LasHarS
said, but it is true that during the
Wilson administration insofar as
the Shipping Board operated pass
enger ships, liquor was served
Having thus disposed OF your
contention that we are breaking the
law, let me refer to the practical
side of what is involved
~ do. not believe speak mad
vsably when I state that; SO long
as foreign ships can enter3sAmer-#
ica serving liquor, the lack OF tina IS
privilege might be very determiuSs
ing factor in the life or death OF
the American merchant marine
and so long as foreign ships ar re8
allowed that privilege of entering
and departing from American
ports serving liquor that same
privilege must be allowed our
merchant ships. 81
"If the sale of liquor be prohib-
tied on all boats entering or de-
parting from American ports,
there is no voice in the Shipping
Board that would be raised in pro
test. FL
Charges Selfish Motive. vi
81 believe you to be thorough
ly selfish" continued Mr.: Laskar,
land that you are acting In the#
hope Of creating a public revolt
against prohibition SO thatgyou9
may again revive the sale OF your
liquors, utterly regard less Off how
you might hurt the Americana Smer-s
chant marine in your effort to-
create a situation to*the benefit
your brewery.
"It is of course, notorious that
Adolphus Busch, who founded
your brewery, was Mthe&kalSerSa
closest friend in America and that
your family for many years has
maintained a castle in Germany;
your action in any event9Will not,
displease your German E friends
whose greatest hope OLA restored
German merchant marine us IN a.
hurt to Americas newborn smerSSs
chant marine.
II refer to these extraneouss
facts not in resentment.b but that
it may be made clear that in my
opinion you do not come before
the bar of public opinion with
clean hands"
Mr.. SLaskar m made public at the
same time the text ofFan opinion
Just rendered to him by Herman
Schlesinger. general manage OF
the Shipping Board, proposing
anew the legality of the serving
of liquor on American ships at
sea. The. opinion was based large
ly on the limitation of the eigh-S
teenth amendment and its opera
tion to the United States and all
its territory subj ject to the Jur1s-
diction thereof. RecentSrullngs8o 8ofS
the Supreme Court in liquor casss,
which Mr.. Sch1esinge declared
had the. prohibition lawsa to- bs
effective through out he enttrss
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