Evening star., 1923-06-10

day. as to ask II the ban might be
evaded by transfer of cargo or crew
rations into the classification of
property of the French government
The proposal was officially present
ed and under serious consideration
by American officials. who decided
finally that this proposed method of
circumventing the ban could not be
countenanced under the Supreme
Court Interpretation of the law.
Admit Diplomatic Liquor.
Diplomatic liquor. which Is expect
ed as always. will be admitted, and
it was believed in some official quar-
ters that the hope of the French
had been to transfer all stores on
French lines into similar class, and
thus permit it's entry into American
waters.
The LIQUOR permitted toe diplomatic
corps here in Washington was held
by American officials to be in a
privileged class. into which great
quantities of ordinary cargo or crew
ration liquors could not be placed.
There was distinction, between the
two, this government held, and thus
the hope of the French on one more
score was doomed to disappointment.
The customs service is the first
point of contact with vessels, as un-
der the tariff laws, and the comfy
of nations customs agents are per
mitted first access to incoming ships.
empowered to seize it: If 1t Is In
violation of the tariff laws the Gus
toms agents will continue in charge.
If found to be in violation of the
prohibition act and the recent regu-
iations, the liquor will be turned over
to the prohibition agents. who Will
, carry out the case for this govern
ment. Seizure of foreign ships them
ty D N
extremity understood to be possible
but seldom probable.
To the public health service has
been relegated the most difhcult duty
of determining the medicinal need
of all ships, both domestic and for
There is one of the real rubs of
the whole situation. No hard ana
fast rule has been laid down, with
the single exception that if the need
is found to be more than five gal
lans, the applicant must go to ofh-
GERS Of the Internal revenue bureau
for additional authority. WITHIN nve
gallon medicinal needs" the public
authority to issue certificates OF
medicinal need" which will be hon
ored and filled under close exam1na-
tion by retail druggists, ln.11dI in the port. n,
lowed officers of the Public Health
Service? This is a question upon
which. some believe, will rest the
weakableness Of the new regulations.
Must Fix Needs.
DR.. M. ]. White, acting surgeon gem
eral of the Public Health Service. de-
cIared yesterday that orders had been
given to the medical officers IN
charge of hospitals in ports, who Will
be charged with the responsibility OF
fixing the medicinal needs" of ves-
sells, that they will be expected to al
low enough" for the real needs of the
ships. But, added DR.. White, all the
records of these officers will be close
lly checked by the inspection service
Of the public health, to see that the
allowances are made in accord with
what should be the actual need.
Limits Flexible.
The reason why no hard and fast
rule has been set, he explained, was
because of the wide vicissitudes OF
shipping, and It's requirements. A
medicinal need for a vessel making a
trip from America to France in sum-
mer, he explained, would be entirely
different from the medicinal need of
a similar vessel sailing into the New
foundland banks in the dead of win
ter.
The i've gallon limit 10 not ex-
nected to oDerate against giving
ships more than five gallons, but t,