Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-10-17
No Other Ruling Would Have Been
Possible.

The decision 81 Attorney General
corn on all ships entering the waters
of the United States has resulted in
heated editorial discussion. 1t gen.
orally is agreed that the ruling could
not have been different, SO far as
American vessels are concerned. but
the application to foreign shipping
comes in for criticism in many quar-
ters It is suggested that the At
torney General is extending the law.
and some editors seem to feel that
one of the effects will be to strengthen
the administrators demand for the
ship subsidy law should the Supreme
Court rule that If American ships are
American territory, no matter where
thew may be located, then foreign
ships must be foreign territory IN
American waters and not subject TO
the Volstead law. so long a. their
liquor supplies are sealed and mot
distributed.
There will be profound and gen
eral satisfaction with the decision.
the Newark News is convinced. 80 Tar
as II affects the Shipping Board meet.
because the American people aphors
to see it's government in the role OF
a hypocrite." but the News also holos
that "the decision revives the nag
eine Spirits Of the opponents OF ship
subsidy" but it also points out tnat
az we are committed to prohioition
az a moral principle. we should not
r1owl at it's bills" The Indianapolis
News insists the decision the only
one that could be made" because II
the dansrtment, is responsible" and.
. tn commissioner Lasker's
declaration that q subsidy now 10
nore than ever necessary. ADDS tnat
"if his theory is right that foreign
vessels and Canadian ports will get
most of the business: one does nos
see why the people should be taxea
% hire our ships to run half empty.
II is the thought of the Richmond
News Leader that the Attorney Gem
araI,s decision stretches the law TO
the limit" in the manner OF incluo.
ing foreign vessels. while on Its part
the. Baltimore Sun adds that tne
draw his own conclusions as to the
nronriety of delivering drastic orders
to the citizens Of friendly powers IN
oyy,er to make them less effective a.
competitors. A provincial American
NAV have no doubt about tho power
Of the United States to pass laws Tor
foreigners as we'll as its own citizens
hut there is a limit somewhere"
while there could be no other rea-
sonah1e declaration, 70 far as the
American ships are Affected, the Co
lurnbus, Ohio. State journal, points
out that If the Supreme Court up
holds its foreign ship section the
Commercial loss to our seaports: and
hence to the whole country. would De
serious" but the South Bend Tribune
wants the "people to bear IN mfnd
that in this case the United states Is
right and the foreign eoan 1Iith H r',nz
traffic. Let US stand .. by the United
states in this memora BILE undertake
ing" To which the Milwaukee Jour
nal suggests that Americans don't
believe in their S0yerAn msr,eap psay aIae
are going TO hope that vessels under
their flag are not going to compete
against a heavy handicap" One thing
additional Is certain. the Roanoke
World News is convinced; ana that Is
there Is more en tnan pr901 MOVE viii
tend to solidify the existing opposi.
ton and strengthen the hands OF
modification advocates with new COM
mercfal and diplomatic arguments.
the straw that breaks the camei's
back: whether it is going to strength
en- the forces OF modification SUI
flciently to bring about less rigid en-
forcement OF the eighteenth 1meho-
ment nobody can foresee."
enforcement Of tho ruling as It ap-
plies to foreign trade will spell seri-
Gus ruin to American commerce the
st. Louis Post Dispatch insists, ana
1t believes "the whole situation illus
trates the furiouS folly Of our pro.
hibftion fanaticisrn: Not only are We
subordinatins the Constitution and al
other laws to the prohibition laws,
but we are trying to subordinate IN
transitional laws. the freedom OF the
seas and all maritime transportation
to our. mad experiment In intoi-
erance." The ST Paul Dispatch directs:
attention to the fact that the suprsm,S:
Court recently Tightly brushed aside
q treaty provision affecting liquor
transshipments. and suggests tns t
while "the common conception 10 tnat
treaty il supreme law. the court
probably saw its way clearly, though
the decision was divided" The syra.
cuse Herald. however. suggests that
"the same rule Of international law
which makes an American ship Amer: