Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-15
BOOZE SALE ABOARD
u. S. SHIPS CHARGED
BY A. A. BUSCH
Continued from Page u


operated by the United Ctates ship
ping board, I was amazed to learn
that the shipping board vessels are
the wettest on the ocean.
st learn that passage on these
ships has been sold with a money
back guarantee that bars for the
sale of intoxicating liquors will be
thrown open as they pass out the
three-mile coast line.
"This makes the United States the
biggest bootlegger in the world.
LAS manufacturers of legal prod
ucts we have been forced for more
than two years to meet unfair and
unlawful competition in the United
States. For the United States to set
aside it's constitution and laws, in
the operation of it's own business en-
terprises, increases our difficulties,
because it encourages ViOlators OF
the law to greater activity.
"I understand thai the shipping
board has brought to the notice OF
high officials of the government the
fact that it could not compete on the
high seas with the ships of other
nations and obey the Volstead act.
Lie 1EcScHG AdNS
1--WE should submit to the presi'
dent that the governments tOlera-
ton of the violation of the law by
the shipping board is proof that pro-
hibition laws as now written are Ell
Their impractical and nOn-enforce-
able, or are being disregarded DELHI
erately.
1.-The fact that citizens of the
United States would not buy pas
sage upon ships of the United States
so long as the Volstead act was
operative upon these ships gives us
real sentiment of the American
people,"
The letter Of Adolphus Busch III,
says in part:
81 am transmitting herewith a let
ter we have just received from my
father. Kindly note that he eX'
presses establishment that the pro-
hibition laws of the United States
are violated openly upon steamships
owned by the United States. A copy
of the wine list enumerating intoXi-
eating liquors is inclosed for your
information.
because it is automatic that
American ships wherever they float
are American territory and under
! the jurisdiction of United States
laws, the governments liquor policy
with respect to the ships Of the Unit
ed States shipping board constitute
violation of the constitution and
| the Volstead act in at least three
important respects:
| "As American sovereignty follows
| the flag, it is a violation of the con-
stitution and the enforcement act
for the government to sell intOXi-
eating liquors or permit its sale on
| board any ship of the United States.
'It is a violation of the constitu-
| ton and the law for the government
ships to transport Intoxicating liquor
within the three-mile coast line.
Law Violation
'It is a violation of the law for
a government ship to possess intoXi-
eating liquor within the three-mile
coast line"
1--WE are reliably informed that the
advertisement Of the United States
lines, published in European news
| papers announced choice wines
and liquors on ships of the United
| States.
eve are also reliably informed
| thai during all the time the govern
ment has been violating the prohibit
| ton laws, it has had public figures
| touring the country for the especial
| purpose of preaching respect for the
! prohibition laws to the American
! people.
| 1--WE are enclosing what appears
| to be a government inspired news
| paper editorials making a plea for
! the continued violation of the pro-
| hibition laws on board United States
! ships.
1.-The governments disregard of
| the prohibition law, and its policy
! of inspiring editorial support of the
| exemption of one of its business en-
! terprises from the operation of the
| law on the one hand, and it's feeble
! attempt to enforce it on the other
hand appears most inconsistent"
The letter of Anheuser Busch,
| Inc, invites congress attention to
wine lists of the shipping board
! steamers, and requests a congress
! the prohibition act. The letter says
! IN part:
! I'VE have repeatedly brought to
! the notice OF the congress of the
i United States, and the administra-
| tive officials the fact that the pro-
hibition law is so loosely enforced
as to invite its violation, and that
under these conditions the manu-
facturers of lawful products are be-
! ing driven out of business.
when the government of the
! United States permits a department
to violate a prohibition law, it helps
! to create a condition which aggra-
! Yates the difficulties of those manu-
, facturers."
The letter further says that the
! government in violating its own
law sets an example of hypocrisy,
unparalleled in the history of the
republic"