The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-07
Prohibit All U. S. Ships From
Carrying Liquor.
Executive Department To En-
force Daugherty Ruling.
SHIPPING BOARD IN THE AIR
Disadvantage in Building Up
the Merchant Marine.
Pass Up American Ports, Is
Foreign Threat.

London, Oct. Foreign shipping
compa niles may cease to call at New
York and other United States ports
because of the ruling of Attorney Gem
eral Harry NJ. Daugherty at WASH
ington that no ships carrying liquor
may enter the three-mi1e limit off the
American coast, it was reported here
today.
Halifax or some other Canadian
port may be substituted for New
York, Boston or Philadelphia.
At the foreign office, It was stated,
that the American ruling was sin ac-
cordanee with international law and
perfectly correct and logical in a ie-
gal sense" but foreign office officials
laconieally commented:
1T win be long journey for Amer
lean tourists to go to Halifax
Government To Enforce Order. Il
Washington, oct. 1.-THE executive
branch of the government was pro-
ceeding to the immediate enforcement
today of the Interpretation of the pro-
hibition amendment and the enforce
ment act by the legal branch as pro-
hibiting the transportation or sale of
liquor on American vessels wherever
operated and the presence Of liquor
American territorial waters, acting on
orders issued by President Harding
Immediately after publication yester-
day of the opinion handed down by
the NdepartInen OF justice.
Chairman Lasker of the shipping
board was moving to stop at once the
sale or transportation of liquor on
government ships while Secretary
Mellon was proceeding to give due no.
tice to private owners, the prohibition
as to both to take effect at once, or
as soon as vessels reached home ports.
The treasury secretary also was
charged with the formulation of regu-
lations for the enforcement as to for
eign ships, to begin as soon as such
regulations can be promulgated.
Take Up Foreign Ships Next.
The next development awaited in
torney General Daugherty and Chair
man Lasker, was a move by foreign
lines to secure a final determination
in the courts of the application of
American dry laws to foreign ships
entering American territorial waters.
In the opinion these were construed
to include waters not only within the
three-mile limit of continental United
States, but also of the Philippines, the
Hawaiian Islands, Porto Rico, the
Virgin Islands and Alaska. the Pan
American canal zone being exempted
because of its specific eXemplification
in the enforcement statute itself.
With the government already adj
viSed that a-case is to be filed which
would bring the issue as to foreign
SHIPS 10 the supreme court, CHAIRMAN
Lasker was of the opinion that the
foreign lines would first seek to re-
strain enforcement of the law by an
injunction which he states it was rea-
sonable to suppose the courts would
grant.
Disadvantage to U. S. Ships.
Mr.. Lasker foresaw not only a stay
of enforcement as to foreign ships by
this course but also expressed the
opinion that regardless of the decision
of the supreme court, American ships
would be placed at a. perma mt disad-
vantage, citing as an illustration that
even tho the Interpretation as to for
eign ships was upheld, it would not
prevent their selling liquor up to the
thfee-Tnile limit, where remaining
stocks could be dumped over board.
The shipping board chairman
further expressed the opinion that the
enforcement would undoubtedly ham
per the boards efforts to build up
American shipping to the Orient and
South America. The disadvantages
which he believed would result to the
American merchant marine would
make more necessary, he said, enact
ment of the ship subsidy bill if the
American flag was to stay on the
high seas.
Ordered to Give Up Liquor.
Masters of shipping board vessels
were ordered today by Chairman Las
ker by direction of the president and
in accordance with Attorney General
Daugherty's liquor opinion, to remove
and surrender to treasury department
officials all Intoxicating liquors aboard
such ships.
The order, which applies to govern
nent ships operated by the board and
under charter to private concerns, be-
came effective Immediately with re-
spect to vessels in American ports and
will be made effective on those at sea
and in foreign ports upon their arri-
val at American ports.
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