The Washington times., 1922-07-02

ancient doctrine OF the treeuom OF
the seas" without cost to the tax.
payers appeared on the scene.
He is something Of q prestidigi.
tator. as we'll as sleight-of-hanh
performer and ventriloquist. He
can throw his voice from + street
up to the Capitol and make It sound
an II q Congressman 10 talking. He
can put q handkerchief In q hat
and scramble an egg In It. and take
out Q subsidy. He IL the wonder
Of tho age-is Mr.. Lasker.
LEAVE TT TO ME-"
When the Shipping Boards def.
cheney scared Hell and Maria"
Dawes ana no one knew what to
do, who was the Boy that then
stood on the Burning Deck whence
all but him had fled?
It was Mr.. Lasker. Behold him.
serene and confident. did you say
that some new way must be found
to guarantee the freedom Of the
seas without expense to the tax
payersf" he asks in his direct
fashion.
".The same" replied Congress
men In ehorus-Congressmen who
were afraid to 60 home unless a
wizard could be found.
There is nothing easier In the
world" said Mr.. Lasker. Leave
It to me-"
BUSCH SPILLED THE BEANS.
And everything went along hap
PLY and smoothly until q fellow
named Busch out in st. Louis
proved to be q bull in . china
shop. He kicked over the traces
ana when Mr.. Lasker observed how
his little scheme had been discover
ed and exposed, he cried out that
Busch was . German brewer
who owned or had owned . castle
on the Rhine. and his criticism was
German propaganda. and nobody
would pay any attention to what
he said.
Busch may b Of German extrac-
ton. he may have sympathized
with the Kaiser and thus have
been false to the country where
he amassed property. and all the
other things that arc said Of him.
But Busch's nationality does not
affect the question raised. which
is: Can the Shipping Board. op.
Grating ships under the American
flag. violate the Eighteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution and the
Volstead Act?
II It can legally do 50, Mr..
Busch's exposure Of It's buying beer
In Germany to sell contrary to the
American Constitution does not af-
feet the legality. For one. II our
ships are to be converted into sa-
looms in violation Of the law I pre-
fer they shall buy from home folks
II they have It on hand and It can
be procured legally.
II the Shipping Board has be-
come q law-breaker and IL violat-
ing the law. Mr.. Busch Is not TO
be condemned for making lawless-
ness known to the whole country
even II his motive Is prompted by
selfishness. II is facts, not abuse,
that the people want.
WHATS THE CONsTITUTIONf'
what Is the Constitution bo-
twtxt friends?" seems to have pass
cd a. a serious proposition with
tho passing Of Tim Campbell un-
til Mr.. Lasker revived II as the
only lfe-preserver to freedom Of
tho seas. The only way to make
American ships pay" said the wiz
ard in effect. ''is to send the Con.
stitution below as you approach
the three-mile limit and have q
wide-open ship on q wide ocean,"
Nobody" We are told, would
travel on an American ship un-
less It sold alcoholic drinks to pas.
sengers. not even our own ambas-
sadors and ministers going to
Europe"
TWO ALTERNATIVES.
There remained two alternatives
for Uncle Sam: Abandon our
splendid merchant marine or go in.
to the saloon business on the high
seas. There used to be a maxim:
Between two evils choose neither" +"
But that does not apply now. Be
tween violating the Constitution on
the one hand or losing money in
operating our ships, the Constitu-
ton must 80.
And 80 one dark night, when no
moon shone. II was solemnly and
quietly and unostentatiously given
burial at sea, or 80 much of II as
interferedl with Uncle Sans float
ing bar.room.
The Constitution is lea que