Evening star., 1923-06-22
Treasury Officials Declare New
York Authorities Will Act.

Treasury officials, arriving at their
desks this morning to find that the
British steamer Baltic had arrived
Unexpectedly at New York, with a
supply of liquor under seal, declared
that the New York customs officials
had instructions to seize all such
stores and that there should be no
question of their authority to pro-
ceed at once against the Baltic.
AT that time no official report of
the Baltic's arrival had reached
Washington and Assistant Secretary
his first word of the development
from news dispatches. He indicated
that he expected no delay in the in
stigation of such action at New York
as would furnish a basis for a test
case on the sealed ship stores issues
Acting on instructions from the
Treasury Department here, customs
officials at New York were prepared
TO seize today the beverage liquors
carried under British customs seals
by the liner Berengaria for her return
voyage when she docked at that
port.
Seizure Ordered.
The seizure was ordered by the de-
partment yesterday after deciding on
a policy of strict enforcement of its
ship regulations in respect TO all ves-
sells which attempt TO bring intoxi-
eating liquor inside the three-mile
limit under foreign government seals.
Instructions proyided that the sealed
stores be seized and transferred 10
bonded warehouse and a receipt is
sued TO the master of the vessel.
In the case OF both the Berengaria
and the liner Olympic, which also is
now bound FOR New York with
sealed liquor store. the American
agents of the operating lines have
been advised in advance of the in
tended action Of the Treasury. The
agent in each case had informed Gus
toms officials that a formal protest
would be filed as soon as the action
was taken. In regard to such pro-
tests, Treasury officials merely said
that this was the logical course for
the shipping companies TO take and
would not discuss what action the
department might take when they
are filed.
Decision of the department TO follow
this course and stand pat on its regula-
tionS, was announced after Il day of
conferences yesterday between Secre-
tary Mellon and his advisers and off,
cials of the State Department. The
Treasury Secretary, who earlier in the
day had expressed grave doubts as to
the right of the American government
to break the official seal OF a foreign
power, declared in announcing the policy
finally decided on that the department
felt entirely sure Of its ground.
Ship ConfiscatiOn.
One of the many elements in the
situation on which Treasury officials
are doing little talking is the ques
tion whether ships which bring in
liquor under seal shall themselves be
confiscated under the clause OF the
Volstead act authorizing seizure of
contraband carriers.
1t was said by one Treasury spokes-
man today that only an extreme con-
struction OF the law would permit
oonfiscation of a regular liner because
of the presence of intoxicants aboard.
Other legal authorities insist, how
ever, that the law makes such con-
fiscation mandatory in the case of a
liner, just as in the case of an ordi-
nary rum runner. In the haze of ar
gument with which the whole subject
Is surrounded there Is no clear indi-
cation SO far that a definite policy on
the question has been adopted.