The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-10-11

cutive said the transportation and
the service OF Intoxicating Ii
ouors on all ships. owned, operat-
ed or leased by the shipping board.
should be prohibited at once. and
all transportation either as cargo
Or ships stores, must cease at
once on ships now in home poris.
and on ships at sea or in for cisn
ports Immediately after docking in
home ports
This Will enable the disposal OF
ships stores for the lawful nar-.
poses contemplated under the stat
utes," the letter added. The see-
retarv Of the treasury will issae
equivalent notice to private ships
under American operation
Quoting the supreme Court to .he
effect that the intent of the national
prohibition policy was to stop tne
whole business" OF traftieking, IN
intoxicants. the attorney general
said the. scope of the statutes en-
acted TO carry out that policy an
doubtedly must include all terri
tory subject to the jurisdiction OF
the United States: Under such in
terpretarion, he held. American
ships wherever they might be 10
Gated would come under the ma
tional laws.
The opinion was supported by
numerous quotations from dee:s-
ions of the supreme court and ~
terpretations of organic law.
81 am of the opinion" Mr..
Daugherty said. that American
ships, wherever they may be ars II
cluded in the terms = Of the 18th
amendment; territory subject. to
the jurisdiction of the United
States so that manufacture. trans
1portation or sale of intoxicating Ii
,auors for beverage purposes is
prohibited thereon To construe
otherwise would. in my opinion.
violate the unTa istakable intent in
its adoption. such intent, clearly ad-
dAeed from, a snidy Of the eircum.
stances; cut of which: It grew, ana
voiced by the suprem court in
the Walker and i.ataehar Lineteases
his: INTERPRETATION is. further
supported by ase many authorities
that have held ships. TO DE. con-
strnctive. territory, of the country
whose flag they. fiy-s Such decis-
ions undoubtedly extend the pros
teetion as ,wellsas thesinhibstions OF
the cQuniry:s; laws. -; s::t.ss3:35
The national prohibition act is
an act Of. general Jurisdiction in
force wherever the 18th. amend
naent applies. and the courts of
the; United States. have jurisdiction
to punish its violations ON the high
SEAS. ;..sg--s,;s -
IL am forced to the opinion. un-
der The railing of the Walker and
Anchor Line decisions that foreign
ships carrying intoxicating beverage
liquors as ship stores or otherwise,
within the three mile limit of Our
shores are violating the. provisions
of the national prohibition act, pro-
hibiting possession or Transports
ton of liquor for beverage. pur-
poses.
..The supreme court therein has
rheid that it is not material that the
liquors may not be intended for
beverage uses within the United
States.
The ruling published today was
i'm answer to request from Secre-
targ; Mellon, dated June %. 1922,
for advice as to whether the prac-
tee of selling liquors on Amerf-
can ships on the high seas was per-
missile. and further whether pos
session of Intoxicating liquors by
foreign ships in American waters
was in violation Of the prohibition
laws.
Mr.. Daugherty replied to the first
:,auestion in the negative and TO the
second in the affirmative.