San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-15
DRYS SAY RUM
RUNNING WILL
END ON COAST
Happy at Passage Of Bill
to Enlarge Coast Guard
Fleet.
RATIFY LIQUOR PACT
More Rigid Enforcement Of
Prohibition Looked
For.
RATIFY LIQUOR PACT
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright by The San Antonio Light.
Washington, ID. C., March To-
The drys are happy. They see the
end of rum smuggling. The action
Of the House in passing by an over
whelming vote the bill providing fol
the enlargement of the coast guard
service and the ratification by tht
Senate of the treaty with Great Brit
ain enabling the seizure of rum-run
ners twelve miles from shore, are twt
measures which look to the rigid en-
forcement of the prohibition laws.
Although it is true that the treaty
with Great Britain simply binds the
vessels of that country and does not
prevent rum-runners from hosting the
French or the Chinese flag for that
matter, the drys insist that the pact
with the greatest maritime nation in
the world establishes a precedent and
that the likelihood of serious inter
national complications has been di
unfinished. After all. the only navy
in the world comparable to the Ame:-
lean sea force is the British. 1t 5
not likely that the other naval pow
ers will be inclined to question Amer
Jean seizure of their vessels particu-
larly with the British treaty as a rec
ignition of the principle involved.
The British were careful to stipu-
Jate that they did not give up their
three.mile limit idea for territoria!
waters, especially in wartime, but
the American government was inter
ested only in the twelve-mile for search
purposes to stop smuggling in peace
time.
As for the vessels of other nations
with which the United States will
seek treaties, similar to the British
the drys feel confident that the laws
of the United States as well as intef-
national law permits the capture ri
any ship which can be proven to bt
in contact with the shore for the pur-
pose of smuggling or violating domes-
tic laws.
With the coast guard enlarged, the
government will be in a position t.
collect more evidence of this kind
r ugh precedents for this form OF
seizure have been established and for
eign nations have not protested
against the principle, though they
will undoubtedly require the Amer
lean government to prove its cas-
every time.
No NiCtOIy loT bTys.
The new coast guard bill permits
the transfer Of smaller craft which
have become useless TO the navy as
auxiliaries TO fighting fleet, but
which can be effectively used to catch
rum-runners. The appropriation for
this purpose. amounting to $4,000
900, is contained in another bill which
has yet TO pass, but since the expen-
Lnz outhArizn1 ~ tc in.
evitable that the money will be pro-
vided.
The drys are pointing to the vote
on the coast guard bill as an evil
dence of their continued strength in
the House where recently 30 beer
movement was launched with renewed
zeal The advocates of modification OF
/ the Volstead law. however, do not wish
TO place themselves on rrcurd as on
posed to enforcement of laws on thf
statute books and the vote cannot be
taken as conclusive evidence Of any
change in the relative influence of the
vets and the drys.
In the same way the casting OF only
a half dozen votes in the Senate
against the new treaty with Gredi
Britain is not proof Of any dry wave
Indeed. IL Congress had been asked 4
supplement the Volstead law so as t.
permit foreign ships to carry liquor
under seal into American ports. sucl
; a request would have been granite
: because the Supreme Court decision
last summer surprised Congress i
self which had no intention OF inter
fering with cargoes in transit.
Passengers Take Risk.
The permission now TO be granted
Z British vessels to carry liquors o.
board provided they are sealed il
American ports. permits them TO OPP;
their bars three miles outside. tn
United States. both approaching ans
leaving American shores. This elm
mates the embarrassment of tryin'
to gusge the thirst of passengers ant
carrying only such an amount oi
, liquor on the voyages to the Unite
! States as could be used IN before
. reaching destination. When cOmnlv
ing with American regulations here
tofore. the British shins have had M
liquors homeward bound. a circum
stance that has not disnleaSed tn
American merchant marine which ha'
: to be dry going and coming. and cuE
not offer its har as an inducement T.
: passenger tr, fife.
There Is no law. however. 10 nre
vent messengers who have taken LIQUOR
aboard from consuming the same or r.
taining II in their nOssession whnf
once outside the three-mile limit ant
consequently there is no regulation D
present which prevents anvone board
ing American vessels in Furonear
rorts with all the LIQUOR that can b
carried. The risk in transporting am
rnconsrmad LIQUORS inside the throp
mile limit into American territor'
rests with the individual and not witt