The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-30

ification of that moral purpose and
hold the Government itself up to ridi-
Icule as an agency which, on the one
side, is sending to prison men guilty
Iof illicit rum-dealing and, on the
other side, is itself engaged in rum
selling On a huge scale. Sophistry
i itself must pale at such a spectacle
/ If, indeed, the Supreme Court had
decided that through technical con-
struction of the law as written Con-
gress had failed to make mandatory
prohibition on American ships, Gov
ternment-owned, still it would have
been the bounden duty of the Chief
Executive to have ignored the techni-
tcal defect, or to have asked Congress
to correct it, or to have stated what
ever private ships might do, Govern
ment ships, built with the money of
taxpayers, would not be operated in
defiance Of the moral mandate of
those Taxpayers.
But the implication is that these
gentlemen were tempted. $50 long
Jas Great Britain, Japan, France, Ger
many and other maritime nations con-
tinue to serve liquors to American
passengers" says Mr. Lasker, 81 am
ashamed to state that my exper-
fence leads lie to believe there is a
sufficient number of Americans with
out proper pride in their own flag
ships who would divert their trade
to the foreign flags to the extent
that the competition would be, from a
profit operating standpoint, very
heavily against the American
ships" Mr.. Lasker is referring of
course, to the fast passenger ships.
We are surprised that Mr.. Lasker
lis ashamed. So are millions of cit
liens who have read this explanation
Has it not been said that it profteth
a man nothing if he gain the whole
world and lose his own soul! And
if that be true of an individual, how
much more terribly true it is of a
nation! We do not admit that nom
alcoholic ships upon the high seas
would suffer from lack of patronage.
The Shipping Board. some two years
ago, put out publicity to prove the
opposite, offering statistincs in sub
Istantiation, if we mistake not.
We have got to come to a show
ldown in this country, and the quicker
the better. We have got to develop
iamong citizens who call themselves
respectable and pass for leaders in
their communities respect for law.
We have got to understand that the
man in the limousine cannot expect
to pour illicit liquors into his stomach
land deal out prison sentences to the
less respectable citizen who halts his
machine and calls on the occupant
to stand and deliver. If the great
officers of this Government, pitiably
lquibbling and equivocating, are to
lend the prestige of their high posi-
ton and the substance of their high
authority to equivalent notification,
then is lawlessness our heritage and
Its fruits our bitter tomorrow. There
can be no compromise on lawlessness,
and crime is not made pure because
terminals parade in the garb of re-
Ispectability.
The whole situation is more tragic
and the more disquieting because Mr.
Lasker is unquestionable correct when
he says that foreign interest are 60
ing to extreme limits in order to
destroy the American marine. He
may be right in questioning the good
, faith Of the men who brought this
matter to the fore. But truth is truth
; no matter who utters it. Again,
unquestionably, Mr.. Lasker had
brought to his conduct of the Ship
Iping Board an enthusiasm that is adj
mirable. No man has equalled him
in driving home to the American pub
llic the necessity fer a constructive
national shipping policy. He has
lstood in a fair way of winning for
himself lasting applause and graft
gratitude. Nor has the President al
any time since his Inauguration stood
more militantly behind a wise and
necessary program than in his insis-
ltance on enactment of a ship subsi-
Idy bill at this session of Congress
The proposal of cornucopia of bust
ness sense, wise in its vision, sincere
in it's purpose, calculated in fact tc
restore the merchant flag to the seas
and essential, since acceptance of the
Four Power, Treaty, as measure OF
national defense. We trust the Pres,
ident will keep Congress in session al
summer if necessary to get this par
ticular legislation, which is the twin
sister of tariff protection.
We fear greatly. however, that this
splendid cause for which the Presi-
dent and Mr. Lasker have been fight
ing will be seriously injured by this
new situation. There will be millions
to say better no merchant marine al
all than a stained national soul. Bet
. ter no merchant marine than a Gov
} larnment dining with itS left hand the