The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-11-28

ilQuof can leak ever IIlfOugn QoOrS
which are padlocked.
1t can be taken for granted, also,
that a little later strong opposition will
come from the American shipping in
t%erests, especially those which are con-
cerned with passenger-carrying across
the great seas. 1t was well enough
known that, even after the prohibition
amendment to the Constitution went
into effect, liquor was served on pas
senger ships controlled and run by this
government or by companies answer
able to this government. Then the lid
of the law was clamped down on this
practice of American ships and short
ly thereafter the Supreme court made
its decision which would prevent the
rival foreign lines from bringing liquor
into our ports even under lock and
key.
Treaty Would Supersede Law.
It has been asked here, the Supreme
court having made such decision, why
it will be possible in the future to al
low British ships to bring liquor into
our ports. The nswer is simply that
the treaty is over and above the law of
the land. II this country agrees in
! treaty form with Great Britain that it
can do certain things, Great Britain
can do them without violating any law
Of our land, the treaty having super
seeded such law as ii affects the power
with which this country has made its
compact.
The draft of the proposed treaty be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States to settle or alleviate the rum
running controversy has been approved
by the imperial conference of premiers.
This means that the premiers of the
various British dependencies, which to-
day are almost independencies, have
approved the action of the home gov
eminent.
1t is possible that in the treaty the
words twelve miles will lot be used,
but that in place of them will appear
ian hours sailing distance from the
American shore" This will enable the
gliardships of the United States to diff
ferentiate between fast-sailing ships
ard slow-sailing ships when they think
it wise to exercise the right of search.
Secretary Weeks Appeal.
Recently the country was asked to
celebrate Navy day. In some sections
of the and there were celebrations, if
speeches in behalf of adequate defense
within the limits of laws and treaties
can be declared celebrations. The
navy officials seem to be satisfied with
the respTfse fe taer zppeaf to te
people to keep up their interest in the
sea service.
Secretary Of War John w. Weeks
has followed Secretary Denby's inter-
est-producing campaign with an ap-
peal to the people to support the
country's military policy, for the
United States, in spite of the activi-
ties of certain organizations dedicated
to peace, freedom and other fine
organizations in behalf of something
much different, has and must have a
military policy, even though it in
| cludes plans for defense only.
1t is a hard job to rouse any inter-
est today in either Navy or War de-
partnent matters. When trouble
comes the service man is a hero, but
when trouble departs he is just a
plain. ordinary cuss who some Ameri-
cans seem to think was just a plain
| fool for serving his country. As Wash
ington reads the disclosures in the in
~vestigation into the early doings in
the veterans bureau, no one wonders
any longer why the disabled veterans
did not get the attention which duty
and gratitude dictated should have
been theirs. They were all right while
they were fighting in the Argonne for
est, but later there was little use for
them as invaIided patriots.
Appeal of Secretary Weeks.
Secretary Weeks in a public appeal
for the country's support of the gov
ernment's military policy declares
that the army of the United States to-
day is just about the size of that OF
disarmed and helpless Germany. Sec
rotary Weeks appeal was made public
through the National Security league.
which is doing all it can TO make
Americans, even in peace time, know
that all times are not peace times and
/ that ever since the Philistines gave
battle to the elect of earth wars have
| come, even in the face of prediction
that never again could they come.
Secretary Weeks in his appeal to
the people of the whole United States
declares that 'the War department in
asking the country to continue to sup
! port the present military policy of the
United States TO the utmost of their
%endeavors, is performing a patriotic
duty and a government function In
full conformity with the historic ira
ditiOns and the democratic principles
of this nation. The law under which
our army functions is not militaristic.
Its principles and operations are es-
| sentially democratic"
Everything that has been done and
said by the War and Navy depart
ments since the close Of the NJ ID
| conflict has been to the effect that
this country does not desire either a
| huge army or a huge navy.
The oama is worked eifbar bv .al-inr