Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-30
NEEDED, MUTUAL REASONA'
. RlENESS

0I6N60S
Great Britain's secretary Of foreign
affairs addressing Parliament ana
indirectly other folks-while admit
ting that the United States Govern
ment is within its rights In prevent
ing the storage Of liquor on British
vessels within the three mile limit, in
our territorial waters, stressed the
comfy of nations, the unwritten laws
Of international courtesy and all that.
He urged there are other considera-
tons, (than the written law) "of
scarcely inferior validity and import
ance. The principles to which have
referred cannot be pushed to ex-
tremes but must be applied with
moderation and good sense. A ship
is a travelling unit passing from one
state to another and therefore can
not escape the necessity Of complying
with other legal systems which may
not be consistent with the law Of the
particular country it happens to be
visiting. Furthermore it is univers-
ally recognized that a ship has
particularly close relationship to the
state whose flag she flies" etc.
It seems proper to stop right here
for a moment and consider that those
rum ships flying the flag Of Great
Britain defiantly on the verge of the
limit of our territorial waters brazen-
" invite the trade Of smugglers and
cut -throats and afford them every
possible convenience in their effort to
nullify the law of country at peace
with Great Britain! What about the
comfy Of nations, international usage
and all that? Who is fouting a
friendly people but the officers and
crews of ships having particularly
close relationship" with Great Bril-
tain? Lord Curzon implies a threat
TO retaliate for what he is pleased to
term the flouting Of his country by
our insistence that her ships come
into our waters without booze IN
storage. What about this country re-
taliating because the flag OF Great
Britain has for many months been
"flouting" this country in actual, II
not technical, warfare with cur laws!
The address or Lord Curzon also
that of Lord Birkenhead were made
within the hearing Of representatives
of British interests in distiueries ana
British shipping, neither OF whom
wishes to lose any share OF their
profits. viscount Grey emphasized
the fact which should not pass from
view, that there Is cause for irrita-
ton on both sides, very perilous
predicament, as each becomes more
and more inclined to look upon the
others unreasonableness and over
look his own, and the final state OF
mind is exceedingly inhamed. Greys
opinion that liquor smuggling IS not
a temporary phase and will cause
friction II continued, does him credit.
Curzon. on the other hand, said the
Government had felt that the smug-
Cling would, not be permanent and
the Government could not undertake
to abandon a principle, the three
mile limit, which they regarded OF
great importance. but had undertake
en- all possible steps to prevent the
smuggling. He did not explain what
these steps might be and all the evil
dence is that they. whatever their
nature. proved useless. The smug-
Cling, the fouting Of this country
continues under the flag Of Great
Britain apparently undisturbed by
whatever conversation may be made
in Parliament or elsewhere.
It will not be creditable to the good
sense and good will Of either Great
Britain or Of this country II these
Irritating conditions are allowed to
continue. Though we may dislike
to see British shipping enjoy profits
from sales Of liquor not permitted on
board our vessels in competition with
them this should not be permitted to
influence the decision. This coun-.
trys,does not wish to say that people
on British ships shall not have liquor
to drink on board ship passing from
this country to a foreign shore. We
do not believe the British as a whole.
wish to see their flag protecting lot
Of sea going scoundrels aiding and
abetting pirates on our shores, even
II it be a difiicult problem to prevent
them. There must be a way II the
British Government seeks it earnest
ly. and on our part ways to be rea-
sonable should be sought.