Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-31
Volstead Law Promises
to Keep Disputes
Fresh
GEDDES PROTESTS
Hughes Will Not Let
Shipping Board Inter
fere With Recent Rul-
ing Regarding Booze
(By Isaac Gregg

(By Isaac Gregg
Washington, March 31.gThe
United States and Great Britain
are at odds once more over the
liquor question. The latest devel
opmcnts brought al,out over the
enforcement Of the Volstead act
by this government threatens to
result IN further international
complications.
Following the protest filed
with the State Department by Sir
Auckland Geddes, British Ambas
sador to a clause in the contract
of the U. S. Shipping Board pro-
viding that no vessels transferred
to foreign registry should engage
in any trade in violation Of the
laws of this nation, Secretary of
Stste Hughes called upon the De-
partmnts of Justice and Com
merce for an expression Of views
regarding this latest phase of the
liqucr question.
Secretary Hughes in discus
sing the British protest explain
ed that many questions are in
volved dealing with the rights Of
foreign countries and the sub
iects thereof II was made clear
that despite any contract which
the Shipping Board may enter in
to with prospective purchasers of
sh'cs owned by the Board that
sGeff Il contract could not be con-
strued as extending the jurisdic-
tion of the United States on the
high seas outside the three mile
limit. Under the opinion of At
torney General Daugherty, all
foreign vessels violating our
laws, especially the Volstead act,
and which are found within the
three-miie limit, are subject to
seizure and to be sold by order
Of a court.
At this writing it would seem
that Secretary Hughes is not go
ing to permit the action of the
Shipping Board to interfere with
his attitude regarding liquor on
foreign ships which operate out
side the three mile limit. He has
made it quite plain on more than
zone occasion that the United
States had no jurisdiction what
ever beyond the limit fixed by in
ternational treaties and agree
ments.
He regrets that the Shipping
Board, prompted by suggestions
of the Anti-Saloon League, saw
fit to insrt this obnoxious clause
in its contracts providing for
the transfer Of ships owned BY
the Board to foreign registry.
The officials of the Shipping
Board. on the other hand, soy
that they had no intention Of en-
barrassing the government ns
was it in their mind that any CON
tract which they had drawn up
would supersede anything which
the State Department had pre-
mulgated with reference to thn
enforcement of the Nolstead law
on the high seas.
But the present situation Is
very embarrassing to State De
partment officials and gives Sec
eetary Hughes something else |"
think about it outside of the rs
ual routine.
Several new commercial treat
les between the United States
and other nations are now in nro-
cess of negotiation. These new
commercial conventions affcc;
principally all the newly crca d
states and a number of the OK
isting conventions which have he
come out of date also viii Re re-
vised. Commercial treaties arc
also being negotiated with Ger
many and Turkey. Among The
new countries with which the Uni
ted States has yet TO Hegot'ats
commercial treaties are CZecho-
Slavia. Jugo-Slavia, Po.anG. L'th
uania, Latvia, Esthonia AM A.
bania.
One of the old commercial treat
les which will have 10 be revised
is that with Spain, i s said.
Sometime ago we notified the
Spanish government thate we
could no longr abide by tn eS-
isting commercial agreement and
as a result of this Ehe Americ3n
and Spanish governmt gre
now negotiating with = view to
arranging a new Jre2'y.