Evening star., 1922-10-07
Lasker, Protesting, Moves
to Stop Sales Now on Ship
Board Vessels.
INJUNCTION STAYING
ENFORCEMENT LIKELY
Chairman Declares Subsidy Will
Be Necessary to Keep American
Flag on Seas.


were ordered today by Chairman
Lasker, 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
ment ships operated by the board
and under charter to private con-
Germs, became effective Immediately
with respect to vessels in American
ports. and will be made effective on
those at sea and in foreign ports
upon their arrival at American ports.
Chairman Lasker was acting on
orders issued by President Harding
yesterday Immediately after publica-
tion of the opinion handed down by
the Department Of Justice.
The text OF Chairman Lasker's order
follows: Under a ruling by Attorney
General Daugherty the sale. trans
portatton or possession of liquor on
ships entering American territorial
waters Is prohibited by law. BY di-
rection of the President I instruct
you to make sure that all intoxicating
liquors in the possession of ships
operated by you for the government.
and all liquors owned by officers or
members of the crews thereof. be re-
moved and surrendered to the proper
official representing the Treasury De-
ships are now in their home ports. or
as soon hereafter as they shall dock
in their home ports, and thereafter
there must be no liquor on ships.
If any officer or member of crew,
either on passenger or cargo ships. is
<v 81
ship, he shall be Immediately removed
permanently from the service. and his
violation of the law reported to the
proper district attorney"
Secretary Mellon meanwhile was pro-
ceed!ng to give due notice to private
take effect st once, or as soon as YES
sells reach home ports. The Treasury
Secretary also was charged with the
'formriatipn OF regulations for the en-
forcement as to foreign ships, to begin
mulgated. ---s
The next development awaited in
the situation. as foreseen by both At
torney General Daugherty and Chair
man Lasker, was move by foreign
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
the Hawaiian Islands. Porto Rico. the
Virgin Islands and Alaska, the Pan
anna Canal Zone being exempted be-
cause of its specific exemption In the
enforcement statute itself.
Injunction Move Expected.
With the government already ad-
vised that case is about to be filed
which would bring the issue as to
foreign ships to the Supreme Court,
Chairman Lasker was OF the opinion
that the foreign lines would first seek
to restrain enforcement of the law
by an Injunction which, he said, it was
reasonable to suppose the courts would
grant.
Mr.. Lasker foresaw not only a stay
Of enforcement as to foreign ships
by this course. but also expressed the
opinion that. regardless of decision
Of the Supreme Court, American ships
would be placed at a permanent dis
advantage, citing as an illustration
that, even though the Interpretation
would not prevent their selling liquor
up to the three-mile limit, where
remaining stocks could be dumped
overheard. The Shipping Board chair
man further expressed the opinion
that the enforcement would undoubt-
edly hamper the boards efforts to
build up American shipping to the
orient and South America. The dis
advantages which he believed would
result to the American merchant ma
rine would make more necessary, he
said, enactment of the ship subsidy
bill If the American flag was to stay
on the high seas.
Based ON Courts Decision.
The opinion handed down by the At
torney General. in response to a re-
quest from Secretary Mellon last June,
was based as to its Interpretation re-
garding foreign ships upon recent de-
cisions Of the Supreme Court, upholding
the authority Of federal prohibition
agents to prevent the transfer of a
liquor cargo from one foreign ship to
another in an American port.
Publication Of the opinion of the De-
partmeht Of Justice followed a White
HOUSE conference to which President
Harding summoned Mr.. Daugherty.
Secretaries Hughes and Mellon and
Chairman Lasker. Various phases Of
the situation were discussed, including
the possible result Of enforcement upon
(COntinued IN Pace 1SoI,1n9n 50