New-York tribune., 1922-10-14
Urged to Ask Congress to
dify Volstead Law
80 Alien Vessels With
Rum May Touch Ports
Dauggherty g Ruling
Hits u. S. Islands
Several American Lines
Fell Lasker Passages
Are Being Cancelled

WAodlNGION, Oct. 13. - High off,
cials, close to the President, indicated
to-day that pressure is being exerted
upon the White House to have Mr.
Harding ask of Congress for an amend
ment to the Volstead enforcement act
which would permit foreign ships, in
transit to foreign ports with liquor
aboard, to touch at American ports.
Such an authorization, it was declared
at the War Department, would .elim-
mate much Of the international difficult
ties impending as result of the
Daugherty ruling.
1t was disclosed that the question of
how far this government should go in
the application of the ruling to for
eeign shipping was the principal sub
lect OF discussion at the Cabinet meet
ing to-day. Members of the Cabinet
were ,reticent, however, about reveal
ing the trend Of the discussion and
would give only the most broad hints
on this new suggestion.
The strict application of the Daugh-
erty ruling as it affects the transporta-
tion Of liquors in foreign vessels which
must touch at ports of American in
sular possessions is giving the Admin
istration the greatest concern. 1t was
officially pointed out to-day that if the
Daugherty ruling is rigidly observed,
great embarrassment and financial loss
would follow to the Porto Rican peo-
pie, whose output Of coffee is handled
almost solely by ships under Spanish
registry
One high official disclosed that two
thirds NJ tho por%o pico ,odoa orov,
shipped to Cuba in Spanish bottoms
and the remainder finds market in
Spain, to which it is transported in
Spanish vessels. He said that it the
Porto Rican ports are closed to Span
ish vessels having liquor in their car
goes, these American wards in Porto
Rico would be unable to market their
coffee advantageoussy and great dis
tress would certainly follow.
Hits Philippines Also
Another source az embarrassment is
the case Of closing a5nilippine ports to
Foreign vessels carrying liquors for
destination beyond these islands.
While Che Volstead act has never been
applied to the Philippine Islands be-
cause Of the failure Of the Philippine
Legislature to adopt enabling legisla-
tion, under the Daugherty ruling the
islands will become as dry as the
United States. Foreign ships now touch
at Manila with cargoes of liquors. des-
tined for the Solomon Islands, Java,
and even Bombay, without interference,
but under the Daugherty ruling, un-
less Congress specifically declares it
is not to be applied to liquor in tran
sit, foreign tonnage would not be per-
mitted to convey general cargoes to
the Philippines in the event they had
liquor aboard.
Chairman A. 70. Lssker Of the Ship
ping Board reiterated to-day that gov
ernment vessels would remain bone
dry from this day forward in strict
with the Daugherty ruling.
He said that the liquor question for
government tonnage is closed incl
dent, as far as he is concerned.
The chairman added that the board
was receiving notifications from Amerl-
can ship operators that many passen-
gers were cancelling accommodations
because Of the Daughsrty edict. M The
warded to the Shipping Board letters
from persons who had booked passages
on their boats to South America de-
redemption of tickets. Mr..
Lasker added that he had been in
formed by one big American operator
who had booked 800 passengers on one
vessel that fifty-two cancellations came
in within a period Of seventy-two
hours.
Mellon Gives Publicity
Secretary Mellon to-day directed the
chief of the Division of Customs and
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
to give wide publicity to the following
notice.:
"The provisions of the national pro-
hibition act are applicable to United
States vessels leaving foreign ports
after October IA, and to foreign vessels
leaving foreign ports after that date
on coming within the territorial waters
of the United States. All sales of
beverage liquors on United States yes
sells, anywhere, and on foreign vessels
within the territorial waters of the
United States, are unlawful after Oc-
tober 7. This notice does not apply to
foreign vessels passing through the
Panama Canal and not touching any
other port under the jurisdiction OF the
United States
AT the same time letters were ad-
dressed to the Secretary Of State. Sec
retary If War and Secretary OF the
Navy requesting their cooperation in
the widest distribution of this notice,
to the end that both foreign and domes-
tic shipping everywhere may be i'm
mediately and fully advised of the con-
tent and purport Of the opinion of the
Attorney General.
Foreign ships leaving their own ports
tcontlnusd on next pzse)
6 1zx,..c TT nGn 4