The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-05-08
us. VESSEL GAN CARRY
AND SELL LIQUOR At SEA
HOWEVER, UNDER COURT DE-
CISIoN SHIPS MUST BE DRY
WHILE IN HOME WATERS.
MEANS ANOTHER HOT FIGHT
Whole Liquor Question Will Come
Up at Next Session of Congress for
Further Legislation. Already Pre-
pairing for the Fray.


WASHINGTON, D. C.--The right
of the u. S. government to compel
both American and foreign owned
ships to be bone dry" within Amer
lean waters has just been upheld by
U. S. suSeeme court decision
which clarifies n4~s2v of the complexi-
ties of the national prohibition laws.
The court divided to 2, Justices
Sutherland and McReynolds dissent
ing.
At the same time, however, the
highest court rules that the govern
ment has not the power to extend the
Volstead law either to American or
foreign ships when those ships are
outside American territorial waters.
The famous decision by Attorney
General Daugherty extending the
Volstead law to all American ships,
wherever they may be, was thus par
TALLY upheld and partially thrown
down.
Other points of the decision were:
The claim that prohibition follows
the flag" heretofore maintained by the
government is not sound and must be
bolstered up by additional law to
make it effective.
Congress has power, which it may
exercise at will, to prohibit intoxicat-
ing beverages on American vessels
anywhere at any time.
The decision instead of disposing of
the controversy promises to intensity
and comp1icate it. 1t has opened UP a
prospect of involved diplomatic ex-
changes and parliamentary battles.
AS Justice Sutherland, in his dissent
ing opinion, pointed out, the majority
decision threatens to lead to ''inter-
national misunderstanding and is
likely to invite retaliatory measures
by foreign nations.
Outlook Troublesome.
From a legislative viewpoint the
outlook is full of trouble. Although
] the decision upholds the ruling of FL
mer Schlessinger, of Chicago, former
counsel of the shipping board, and
knocks out in part the opinion of At
torney General Daugherty, the wet
gain is doubtful.
Wayne B. Wheeler, general coun-
sci for the anti-saloon league, has an
nounced that a bill would be intro
duced as soon as congress reconvencs
| to ban liquor on American ships ev-
erywhere, and his statement was
echoed by Senator Sterling, republi-
can, of South Dakota, leader Of the
bone drys" in the senate.
A. d. Lasker chairman of the ship
hood ,nHicofaH n
matter of policy no attempt would
be made to take advantage Of the SUI
preme courts ruling in the dispensing
of liquor on American vessels. He
stated that orders to resume the sale
of liquor to passengers on American
ships would not be issued without ex-
press orders from the president.
Start of the Dispute.
The case came to the supreme court
on an appeal by number of steam
ship companies, American and for
eign, from the decision of Federal
Judge Hand, of New York, which up
held the ruling of Attorney General
Daugherty, banning liquor on Ameri-
can ships everywhere and on foreign
vessels within the three mile limit.
For the American shipping interests
the appeal was brought by the United
American lines, which claimed it was
illegal to prohibit them from opening
their bars when an American ship
passed out of the three-mile zone.
George w. Wickersham, former at
torney general, represented the steam
ship lines, while the anti-saloon and
other temperance organizations sup
ported the government.