Evening star., 1923-06-28
The Law and the Ships.


In his speech at Denver Monday
on law enforcement, President Hard
ing said:
Unless, through the recognition and
acceptance of the situation i'm its true
light. through the effective enforce
ment of the (prohibition) law by all
the constituted authorities, and with
the acquiescence of the clearly domi-
nant public opinion of the country,
the question is definitely removed
from the domain of political action.
j, will continue demoraliZing ele-
aent in our whole public life. 1t will
be a permanent bar to the wise de-
termination of many issues utterly
unrelated to the liquor question. 1t
will be the means of encouraging dis
respect for many laws 1t will bring
disrepute upon our community and be
pointed to as justifying the charge
that we are nation of hypocrites.
There can be no issue In this land
paramount TO that of enforcement of
the law.
The law of this land now provides
that any vehicle or carrier used for
the transportation of liquor shall be
subject to seizure by the government.
Under it numerous carriers have been
taken, chiefly motor cars and trucks,
and there is no appeal from their con-
tiscation. The government finds in
this seizure clause in the law an
effective weapon in the fight against
bootlesging.
Now arises the question whether
ships entering American ports with
liquor on board, contraband of law,
shall be subject to seizure under the
same statute. There should be no
question. The ships, like the auto
mobiles that have been seized, are sub,
ject to the law. which provides for
their condemnation. In this case time
has been granted for full determina-
ton by the highest court Of the land
of the subject of bringing liquors in
side of the three-mile limit. That
court has ruled that the jurisdiction
Of the United States extends to them.
no matter what their registry, their
nationality, and no matter what the
purposes for which the liquor is car
ried. The government has made
lenient rules permitting the carriage
Of liquor for medicinal" purposes. 1t
has, however, refused to allow liquor
to be brought in, even under seal, for
consumption on the return voyage.
Ample notice has been given to
foreign ship owners Of these rulings
and decisions. Despite this notice,
however, an effort is being made to
break down the position of the United
Cfot -
under seal and the seals have been
broken and the liquors seized. Now
comes the point Of supreme i'm
portaHce: Shall the ships be seized If
the practice is persisted in Of sending
these contraband stores into the
United States?
1t is impossible to see how discrim-
ination can be shown in this matter.
The law ia explicit. If a schooner
laden with liquor runs into the terri
torial waters and is caught she is
seized and sold by the government.
II a power boat plying from a
liquor ship anchored outside Of the
three-mile line is caught with liquor
en- board she also is taken. Does
size make difference? Does the fact
that a ship is primarily engaged in
legitimate trade render her less sub
ject to seizure if the law is violated?
The President says that law en-
forcement is the paramount issue in
this land. That means, if it means
anything, that 100 per cent enforce
ment is required. There can be but
small respect for the law if it is
waived by the government in respect
To certain offenders because of their
Importance and applied to others. 1t
must be applied to all equally, without
discrimination, Or it will lack that
public support for which the President
now pleads and which is the test Of
citizenship and Of national strength.
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