The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-11-01
APPROVE TWELVE
MILE DRY LIMIT
British Experts Committee
Agrees in Principle to Exten-
sion of Area for Search.
PREMlERS' CONSENT LIKELY
centIemen's Pact to Set Sea Limit
British Reluctant to concede IL
Mile Zone for Liquor Search
Cling to Traditional Theory.

London.-The fact that the expert
committee of the Imperial Conference
had agreed in principle to accept the
proposal made some time ago by Sec
rotary Hughes that vessels in Ameri-
can waters might be searched up to a
twelye-mile limit for contraband LID
uor became known. 1t was also ascer-
tanned that the recommendation of the
committee was likely to be approved
by the plenary conference of the Pre-
miers next week.
The well kept secrets of the long
discussions in the imperial conference
on foreign affairs gradually are seeing
light Those that have become known
prove that the conference bids fair to
render decisions of Importance with
regard to the empires foreign rela-
tions, and that they will revolve to a
large extent around the future rela-
lions between England and America.
Recalling the firmness with which
Lord Curzon, Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, not so long ago announced in
Parliament the impossibility of sane
tioning any change on the question of
the three-mile limit, it had been
thought an impossibility to convert
Lord Curzon to the point of view of
Secretary Hughes. But the Foreign
Secretary was Chairman of the expert
committee of the imperial conference
and himself agreed in principle to the
Hughes proposal.
The influence of leading figures in
the conference like Premier SHUTS of
South Africa and Premier Bruce of
Australia, is seen to have been very
considerable, though it is impossible
to say how far 1t has been moving
principle in the British Governments
policy in regard to the proposed
Preparations conference and the efforts
to meet the American Governments
views in the matter of liquor snug
Cling.
Though the Governments stand on
the three-mile question has been gen.
orally approved by the country, there
are many persons who are said to have
failed to see why it should be an iron
bound principle. In some sections of
the press strong sympathy was ex-
pressed with the American demand
for measures to restrain any British
participation in liquor smuggling.
Washington. -Neither the State De-
partment nor the British Embassy had
confirmation of the reported accept
ance in principle by Great Britain of
Secretary Hughes proposal that YES
sells be searched for liquor within
twelve miles of the American shore.
If the expert committee of the I'm
perial Conference, as stated in the
London dispatches has drawn,up plans
which will meet the essential points
of the American proposal, no official
notification has been received in
Washington.
State Department officials, however,
were much gratified at the reports and
expressed the hope that they would
be officially confirmed. 1t was pointed
out that a favorable report by the
committee of experts did not neces-
sarily mean the British Government
was ready to accept the Hughes pro-
posal for a reciprocal treaty to permit
foreign vessels to bring liquor into
American ports in return for the
privilege of searching ships for liquor
up to a distance of twelve miles from
shore, but favorable recommends
ton from the committee of experts
undoubtedly, the belief was, would
have much influence with the British
Government. This was the more to
be expected since the committee of
experts represented the Dominions of
Great Britain as well as the, home
Government.
The most recent communications
from Downing Street to the State De-
partment informed this Government
that it had been decided to submit the
question to the imperial conference,
In as much as the colonies were deep
ly involved.