Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-15
SEE WET STRATEGY
IN ATTACK MADE,
ON LASkER RULING
continued from rlrEt rage.>

"a great majority dcsire modiaSa-
tion OF tho NOlstcad act.
Many promincn, citizens now
think the time has come when tho
! Congress OF the United states should
he frankly Informed Ly tho Prcs.-
dent that tho utmost efforts OF the
government have failed To such cub
Stan'ial extent as Ia prove the need
I o; u reasonable amendments"
/ In connection with the above rec
/ concentrations, busch submitted to
! his directors paragraph from n
| letter by Harding addressed to
/ RuSchs counsel In ~. Louis last Dc
/ cemhcr and reading:
I :! can say that tho government /,
/ honestly attempting 1 erco~ce the
/ prohibition law. thouAD las, H."
/ confessed that many difficulties
| put In til" way " those chnr.ld " !
! this Responsibilities. / do not thiul,
that they arc permanently iusur-
! mogntahle. II such NJ unfortunate
state IS ultimately proven. It viii
\ be II matter FOR the various consider
alton OF both tho legislative and eN-
ccut'vo branches of the government"
Chairman l.askcr. replying to
/ Busch, declared. IN so far RS Amer
!can vessels were concerned. 81 would
be virtually suicidal to stop sale OF
!mtoA!cants owing 20 competition OF
foreign vessels permitting sale OF
such beverages. The question, he
added. might prove the determining
factor In the life or death OF the
American merchant marine"
The revelations have created. per-
hHps. the greatest stir in wet" and
dry" quarters here. both within and
without Congress, since passage o:
t.af Il In,
they appear 10 drive at the sincerity
of the administration Itself In set
ting an example from the top for
The nation TO follow. And they put
up 10 Harding the necessity of di-
recting decision on the question
which will be far-reachiug which
ever way It goes.
Haynes I'm Qunndary.
Already the move has developed
the Interesting fact that "wc,s'' and
HrES as well az enforcement OH
vi"'S OF the administration. are In
conflict over the legal question:
Can boats flying the American
flag sell intoxlcants?"
solicitor General Frierson. under
me Wilson administration, ruled that
theH could not. Soon after tho
present administration came in.
however Chairman Lasker. OF the
Shipping Board. obtained an oral
opinion from the boards general
counsel Elmer Schlesingcr, that
american ships. after they leave The
| 'hF"e-m mile limit. can sell anything
! th"y wish. Attorney-Gcneral paugh-
erty says he stands on Fricrson,s
| ruling unless. upon reconsideration
OF The department II is found err
'pncoGs. LaSkcr stands on Schl.s-
I myers ruling, made official In writ
ING Tuesday. and Prohibition Com
/ missioner Haynes isn't able To d,
anything much because he doesn't
Know which ruling Will stand the
court test
Su"arelv Up to Hnrdine.
IN inns impasse. /; is put directly
ur 10 Harding 10 ascertain what's
what li' can asi; Attorney General
pauGheriy to reopen the Fri.rsou
ruling and determine whether il IS
correct. If Daughcrty decided Fricr-
son was wrong and l.asker right.
/ men, some dry" leaders intimate
/ privately, any ship subsidy icgisla-
/ ton would have hard Shedding
through this Congress Further
/ more they claim. such q ruling would
\ weaken the whole structure of pro-
I h!h!ii"n enforcement when /. became
generally understood. would add 10
would give the vets" the hes, on.
rortunity they ever had for begin
ming tremendous effort for amend
mcnt I" the law.
on the other hand, II Daugher,y
holds. like Trierson. that the law
follows the flag and sale OF In,oxi.
Giants Is stopped on Shipping BOARD
boats. i-asker's declaration tina, mo
booze. no passengers" !: vindica,cd
by results. would bring further
IoSs's and suffering 10 the American
merchant marine.
y curious coincidence IN tho whole
situation IS tho fact that senator
Jones. Washington. in charge OF tho
snip subsidy bill in tho senate. 10
on" Of tho most active dry" leaders
In Congress. Both he and Rcprcscn.
ta'!"e N"lstcad. tie real parents Of
inc dry law, stated today they would
not be content until the high courts
had decided the issue-and II an ad
verse decision was handed down
they would 90 abou: STRENGTHENING
tho enforcement law TO cover Ameri
can boats at sea.