The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-26

U. S. Will Acceed to Foreign
Demands for More Leniency
In Ports. II

New regulations to govern
foreign ships bringing liquor into
American ports will be so broadly
and leniently drawn that very
little difficulty with foreign gov
ernments is anticipated by Gov
eminent officials, it was learned
here today. These regulations are
now being completed by the Treas
ury Department, and will be
promulgated shortly.
4. Made for Foreigners.
State Department officials have
cooperated with Treasury experts
in the drafting. of the new regula-
tions, with an eye especially To. the
elimination of foreign inducements,
and while officials declined today
to forecast exactly what the new
regulations will be, 1t was said that
a great deal of foreign complaint
will be automatically eliminated
when the regulations appear.
Great Britain's communication on
the subject to the State Department
was in no sense a protest against
the right of American port authori-
ties to enforce the law, as inter-
preted by the Supreme Court, it
was said at the State Department
today. On the contrary the Brit
ish note did not dispute the right
or the United States Government
to enforce its laws within its own
territory.
The British government presented
the argument, however, that, while
America is well within her legal
rights, strict application of the
Volstead law would work an unmer-
tied hardship on foreign nations
whose laws compel the carriage of
liquors as ships stores. The British
predicated this argument on the
ancient practice observed in inter-
national law Of permitting the "in-
ternal economy of a ship to be
try whose flag she flies.
Acting i'm Concert.
The British contention in this re-
spect is supported by Spain, Italy.
France and Netherlands, all of
whose diplomatic representatives
have either, in writing or orally,
conveyed to Secretary of State
Hughes their positions in the mat
ter. The foreign governments are
apparently acting in concert.
The British government dug up
an old United States Supreme Court
decision, dated 1886, to prove it's
contention that a foreign govern
ment should not interfere with for
eign ships unless the domestic
tranquility" Of the nation is in
volved.
It was the case of Belgian
steamer on which a murder had been
committed. In deciding that the
United States Government had the
right to try Belgian seamon for
murder, even though committed on a
Belgian ship under the Belgian flag,
the Supreme Court said:
"The comfy Of nations, however,
provides that a vessel in a foreign
port should not be interfered with
except in the protection and safety
and preservation of domestic tran
guilty"
Applicable to Rum Ships.
This decision, the British contend,
liquor, for, they hold, it does not
menace the domestic tranquility
of the United States for liquor to
enter American ports when it is not
designed to American consumption.
The State Department is obviously
inclined to grant the justice Of the
British contention, in this respect,
and it is believed here that the new
regulations soon to be promulgated
will get around the matter to the
satisfaction Of all the nations con-
cerned. Ultimately, however, 1t is
believed Congress will be appealed 20
for more specific remedies