Evening star., 1924-02-04

The signing of the British-Amer-
lean rum treaty is regarded by many
American editors as one of the most
remarkable international agreements
ever reached. Certainly, it is the
opening gun in the tightening up of
the Volstead law and enforcement of
the eighteenth amendment they agree
With Great Britain setting the pace
and reaping benefits other maritime
powers are expected to consider sim
liar treaties, thus establishing the
right of the United States to adequate
authority in its coastal waters to en-
force its domestic laws. So long as
we are going to have a bone-dry law
on statute books, it should be en-
forced 60 the full limit of the nations
ability most editors agree.
This is particularly emphasized by
the Grand Rapids Herald, which re-
CARDS the treaty "as the most potent
step toward actual prohibition in this
country that has been taken since
the adoption of the eighteenth
amendment. Probably never before
has any nation agreed to such aban-
donment of its accepted rights for the
sole purpose of enforcing the domes-
the Dominion of Canada. inspired by
London's example. will sincerely CO.
operate in eliminating the booze
traffic across our northern boundary
line. still further progress can be
made"
The Cleveland Plain Dealer heartily
indorses this opinion and with re-
gard to the American concession of
allowing British ships to bring liquor
under seal into American ports, de.
al 10 nnc crn1x Il N of Of ir-
ness. though evidently required as a
formality under the Supreme Court
decision. We never believed that
Congress intended, or had the right.
is now to be conceded by treaty that
English ships may do"
X
The Pittsburgh Gazette Times
agrees that our concession "is a slight
compensation to them for what we
gain, though they esteem it highly"
Because, as the DeS Moines Register
sees it, there can be no threat to
our prohibition laws in this conces-
sion, while the aid our law enforcers
will obtain from the treaty will
virtually abolish the rum-running
business" That it is a simple ex-
pedient. but an efficient one, con-
templated in the treaty, the Column
bus Dispatch further assents. be-
cause by forcing the ships which
bring liquor under foreign flag to
remain a good many miles farther
out, the efficiency Of our enforcement
officers along the coast will be in
creased several times over"
The treaty is also viewed as the
forerunner of similar pacts with other
maritime powers, the Salt Lake
Tribune suggests. because "negotia-
tions are already in prospect with
the Netherlands and some other coun-
tries. while still others have indi-
Gated informally their willingness to
take up the question" Furthermore,
final ratification will give to the
American government a formidable
means for putting an end to the ac-
tivities of the rum smugglers of the
seaboard'' The Chicago Daily News
insists further "the treaty should be
ratified. 1t is q reasonable compact
which strengthens the rational cause
of prohibition. Opposition to 1t is
convince the moderate drys that ship
liquor stores under seal in nowise
jeopardize the success of the eight
eenth amendment"
The ultra prohibitionists, no doubt,
will challenge the treaty, and pos
sibly fhe power which it presumes,
the Philadelphia Bulletin agrees, yet
$50 far as the vital interest in ma
tional prohibition is concerned, what
ever inlet might be opened by such
q. privilege for foreign ships would
be as a pinhole compared with the
wide open sluice through which the
rum fleet pours it's cargoes into the
Atlantic seaboard." The Hartford
Times, however. feels that even the