Evening star., 1923-05-02
HOTF|GHT LOOMS
OVER SHIP LIQUOR
Issue to Be Precipitated by
: Vets May 0vershadoW
World Court.
BA DAVID LAWRENCE.

BA DAVID LAWRENCE.
Th. biggest wet" and dry fight
since the Eolstead law was passed il
coming in the next Congress. 1t may
nyershadow the world court in the
debates as we'll as other issues. An
ricipating such a development, Presi-
dent Harding will kAep- the status
quo on American ships outside the
three mile limit until Congress gives
permission to sell liquor en- the high
seas on a parity with foreign vessels.
The VETS will make il the test OF
the "dry" control of Congress.
The President knows there Is no
Jaw against the sale of liquor aboard
-\mcrican ships and to that extent
chairman baSker and his legal ;td-
NiScrs were right iii selling liquors
until "a presidential order instructed
them to do otherwise. Now that the
pass law to prohibit the sale OF
liquor on American ships if il wishes
that object accomplished. the PreSi-
dent has had 70 consider carefully
whether lifting the lid at this time
would only create antagonism among
the 'dryS'' and imDeril the appro-
priations for the Shipping Board
next autumn.
Fears Rider ON Bill.
Having failed to obtain 4 ship sub
StdE and believing now that agEres-
svc operation of American vessels by
the government itself is ineVitabie,
Nr. Harding wants to make sure that
the money for government operation
Will he Forthcoming regularly to meet
commitments already made and 9th
ers that will have TO be made to off
set foreign competition on the seas.
N Il y. I,.x-e 60
undoubtedly Will tack on a rider 10
the shipping appropriations provid-
ing that the money is granted only
on condition that liquor is not sold
on American ships.
This will be challenge to the
VETS, who already are preparing
TO show the country that the action
of the "dryS' is carrying things to
the extreme. The merits of prohibi :
tion itself will hardly he discussed,
but. instead, the economic effects of
congressional action. the need for
greater appropriations and more
drain on the taxpayers pockethooh 5
ii American ships are kept dry
While foreign vessels enjoy the free
dom of the seas. The 'wets" make
the following points:
Evils Are Ninimized.
First. that liquor sold outside the
three mile limit will not bring the
evils which were originally charged
against the use Of intoXicantS. for
everybody on II voyage can get all
til" liquor needed Immediately after
arrival at destination and ii is unfair
/" deprive American ships of patron
age simply to postpone purchases of
liquor few days.
Second. that foreign ships viii ar
range some method OF getting liquors
aboard outside the threc-mile limit
either through floating warehouses or
ports of call, and that American ships
will be cut out Of the cruise business.
which is growing in popularity. For
.ign vessels Will advertise extensive
cruises in the Mediterranean, Cen
t~al and South American ports. and
even in the orient, and will, natur-
ally. make = stop at either Halifax
ar Bermuda or the Bahamas. and
take on a stock for the long cruise.
rs hilr American vessels Will stop at
these ports. but will be forbidden To
AXE any liquor on board. Such in
CAPABILITIES will tend. the vets claim.
I" hurt American passenger business.
Fourth. foreign complications are
arising. and America is earning the
II will uf foreign peoples by at
tcmptin- to usurp the seas through
LAWS which prevent foreign ships
from touching at American ports with
any liquor on board. and that "a pre-
,.rdcnt is being established which
may at some later day arise TO plague
american interests.
see Loss Exaggerated.
In answer to the foregoing the
"dryS" already are saying that the
difference between a profitable mer-
chant marine with liquor sold out
side the three mile limit and an
american merchant marine kept dry
is so little. relatively speaking. that
congress can afford to pay the few
millions involved and keep the letter
nf prohibition on sea as Wei as on
tIN.,E. aiy1f N n
citizens free from the temptation
IF the drink evil so long as they are
undCr the jurisdiction OF the Stars
and Stripes.
For the principle of the thing, the
,ryS are willing to help get the neceS-
Sary appropriate for shipping. but
they think the sum needed are vastly
everest imated, and this will be the line
of their attack.
IT economic reasons should enter
into the controversy. as seems likely,
the drys will revive their old argument
hat the people of the United States
lave up a half billion dollars in liquor
taXeS 10 make the nation dry and paid
the government expenses out of in
come taxes. and if they believe i'll that
theory they can afford a few millions
more to keep Americas merchant ma
rine dry.
But the danger to the dry cause
lies in the possibility that the "wets"
at last will change the course of the
argument from sentimental and moral
grounds to economic grounds and ac-
iual costs in dollars and cents to the
'axpaycr They will say the object
sought will from a moral viewpoint
he open to serious question. inasmuch
.'S travellers can get all the liquors
they want in Il few days at the port
Of arrival. and that American ships
will simply be made to lose trade for
an abstract principle, while the
american taxpayer pays the bill.
There's controversy enough in this
question to keep both houses Of Con-
-sress busy for weeks. and II by
nance the vets gain an advan-
iage they will be encouraged to cry
victory and push the fight for tenn
perance rs their next step. The PreSi-
dent will probably keep out of the
melee until Congress acts and if
the majority favor the dry side he
will sign the measure.
Copyright 1921