Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-05
LIQUOR DECISION
To REVIVE FIGHT ON
FLOOROF CONGRESS
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Neased Wire Service to The Journal
Downright 1928

BN DAVID lAA w RELNOG
Oeased Wire Service to The Journal)
Copyright, 1921
WASHINGTON, May 3.-The big
gest wet and dry" fight since
the Volstead law was passed is
coming in the next congress. 1t
may overshadow the world court in
the debates as well as other issues.
Anticipating such a development,
President Harding will keep the
status quo on American ships out
side the three-mile limit until con-
gress gives permission to sell liquor
on the high seas on a parity with
foreign vessels. The vets. will
make it the test of the "dry" con-
troll of congress.
The president knows there is no
law against the sale of liquor
aboard American ships and to that
extent Chairman Lasker and his
legal advisers were right in selling
liquors until a presidential order in
structed them to do otherwise. Now
that the supreme court says con-
gress must pass a law to prohibit
the sale of liquor on American
ships if it wishes that object ac-
complished, the president has had
to consider carefully whether lifting
the lid at this time would only Gre
ate antagonism among the 'drys
and imperil the appropriations for
the shipping board next autumn.
Having failed to obtain a ship
subsidy and believing now that ag-
gressive operation of American YES
sells by the government itself is in
eVitable, Mr.. Harding wa is to make
sure that the money for government
operation will be forthcoming regu-
larly to meet commitments already
made and others that will have to
be made to offset foreign competi-
ton on the seas. The president
knows that the "drys'' undoubtedly
will tack a rider to the shipping ap-
preparations providing that the
money is granted only on condition
that liquor is not sold on Ameri
can ships.
"Wets" Primed for Fight
This will be a challenge to the
"wets" who already are preparing
to show the country that the action
of the "drys" is carrying things to
the extreme. The merits of pro-
hibition itself will hardly be discuss
ed, but instead the economic effects
VI CO11E CCIAOllJ 4lIO 1lNCo ACA
greater appropriations and more
drain on the taxpayers pocketbooks
if American ships are kept "dry"
while foreign vessels enjoy the free
dom of the seas. The "Wets'' make
the following points:
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 a voyage can get all
the liquor needed Immediately after
arrival at destination, and it is un-
fair to deprive American ships of
patronage simply to postpone ptlr-
chases of liquor a few days.
Second, that foreign ships will ar
range some method of getting liquors
aboard outside the three-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 popu-
Iarity. Foreign vessels will adVer-
tise extensive cruises in the Mediter-
ranean, Central and South American
ports, and even in the Orient, and
will naturally make stop at either
Halifax or Bermuda or the Ba-
hamas and take on a stock for the
lOIS CIdISSy WI <A4AlCAANcAAA NSSoHNAho
will stop at all these ports but will
be forbidden to take any liquor on
board.
Such inequalities will tend, the
vets claim, to hurt American pas
senger business.
Third, foreign complications are
arising, and America is earning the
ill-will of foreign peoples by attempt
ing to usurp the seas through laws
which prevent foreign ships from
touching at American ports with any
liquor on board, and that a prece-
dent is being established which may
at some later day arise to plague
American interests.
Drys Would Pay Difference
In answer to the foregoing the
"drys" already are saying that the
difference between 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
Of prohibition on sea as we'll as on
land, and thus maintain American
citizens froo from the temptation Of
the drink evil so long as they are
under the jurisdiction of the stars
and stripes. For the principle of
the thing the drys are willing to get
the necessary appropriations for
shipping, but they think the sums
needed are vastly over-estimated, and
this will be the line of their attack
If economic reasons should enter
into the controversy, as seems like
ly, the drys will revive their old ar
thai 10 Tnnn1p of the I1nitn6
States gave up a half billion dollars
in liquor taxes to make the nation
dry and paid the government ex-
penses out Of income taxes, and If
they believe in that theory they can
afford a few millions more to keep
Americas merchant marine 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 actual costs in dollars and cents
to the taxpayer. They will say the
object sought will from a moral view
point be open to serious question in
asmuch as travellers can get all the
liquors they want in a few days at
the port of arrival and that Ameri-
can 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-
gress busy for weeks, and if by
chance the "wets" gain an advan-
tage they will be encouraged to cry
victory and push the fight for tenn
perance as their next step. The
president will probably keep out OF