The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-17
When rich villains have need of poor ones poor ones may make what price they will
 -Much Ado About Nothing.
A MORNING PRAYER
EXTENDING THREE-MILE LIMIT TO STOP LIQUOR SMUGGLING

EXTENDING THREE-MILE LIMIT
 TO STOP LIQUOR SMUGGLING
 In communication from Wayne B. Wheeler, general counsel of the Anti-Saloon league, req sons are set forth for extending the three mile limit to suppress rum running.
 MT. Wheeler says, "The outstanding author ities on international law, such Kent, Hall and Oppenhem, declare that the power to fix the jurisdiction on the sea in order to pro- tect the government is an attribute of sover- eighty. There is no unanimity of opinion that the three-mile limit as the extent of the ginal sea is an established principle of inter- natioial law. International law is simply made up of customs and usages among nations which have received general acceptation and observ- international law, but for the violation of the laws of the nation which has jurisdiction over the act in question. This is the main reason why there is little uniformity between tions in the limit fixed for the control or pro- hibition of certain defnte acts. The three mile limit, then, is not fixed boundary, but on the contrary has been treated as a con- venent mnmum Int" MT. Wheeler quotes a decision of the United States supreme court as follows: "We think 1t must be regarded as established that, as between nations, the min- imum limit of the territorial Jurisdiction of a nation over tidewaters Is marine league from its coast.''
 MT. Wheeler continues:
 There Is also a distinction made between the exercise of protective jurisdiction for certain poses and exclusive jurisdiction- In the adoption of certain police. sanitary and customs laws tho right to inspect search ships is recognized by of the nations. For the purpose of enforcing our liquor laws the limit has been twelve miles in the United States statutes since 1799. Nor way, for similar purpose. extended her three mile limit to ten miles in September, 1921. Italy's laws relating to the rights and duties of neutral powers the of maritime is six nautical nnilesi for the control and and sojourning of national foreign merchantmen the limit Is ten miles. Sweden fixes the limit certain purposes at four nautical miles. Chile at twelve miles; Great Britain twelve miles for her ships and three miles for foreign ships.
 Certain offenses prohibited the high by the United States. The three-mile limit applies to certain ofenses a twelve-mile limit to other of1ensee, appneu tain offenses committed American ships. Every nation has q right to protect itself from injury and to repel the invader who would violate ts sovereign laws. Rum running vessels lowering along the coast outside the three-mis limit furnish liquor and other European entertainment those who will transferred from the shore Liquor smuggling is outawed by tho nstitution- this nation and other nations found 1t sary extend that limit beyond three miles in order to protect from smugrlers,
 
 constitution of the United States against the pirate ships which greater injury to the we--- fare of the nation than the loss of a few dollars in revenue
 It is claimed that since executive direction has recognized the three-mle limit in the past Congress should not extend 1t The original three-nils limit based the theory that 1t was . can non shot. and 1t would protect the nation from tho invader. The for upholdng that theory is The cannon shot and the rum smurgier justify in going beyond tho three-mls limit Past administrative rulings cannot bind legisla- tive body in the enactment of egslation necessary for the national defense and welfare. Any reason able extension in view of the conditions which the nations face for the protection of the country from injury and for the enforcement of Its laws will appeal to the good judgment of the people of all nations.
 Granted that there are sound legal reasons for extending the three-mile limit to 12 miles to enforce the prohibition law against smug- sling, that would not strike at the root of the evl, nor would it prevent vessels of foreign nations, notably England, from bringing in liquor close enough to be smuggled into Amer iea. Twelve miles or 20 miles wouldn't make much difference to rum runner. Even now it is reported that smuggers turk beyond the 12-mile limit to insure their safety After liquor ship has come within American jursdc- Aoi 1t may be prevented from landing it's cargo and American ships may be seized out ol-hand, but the mild suggestion of Secretary uushss that the British government cooper