Evening star., 1925-06-17
SEIZED RUM BOATS
Will ENFORCE LAW
McCarI Rules Coast Guard
/ May Add Captured Craft
>" to the Dry Navy.

The last obstacle standing in the
way Of government operation oi
yachts or other vessels forfeited foI
violation of the liquor laws was clear
ed away today by Controller General
McCarl.
AS a result of a decision rendered
to the Treasury. such vessels may
now be operated by the United States
Coast Guard from funds of either the
in the pursuit of smugglerS or fOf
surveillance Of the rum fleet.
Finds Other Funds.
Under enforcement provisions OF
the Revised Statutes. the customs OF
Coast Guard authorities are author
lied to halt, board and search any
vessel anywhere within -four leagues
of the coast, and seize any property
liable to forfeiture under laws of the
United States.
Under recent decision of McCarl
however, 1t was held that funds of
the Coast Guard could not be used.
under the recent act of Congress, to
operate such vessels forfeited for
violation of the prohibition or Gus
toms laws, and the way to such oper-
alton was thus thought temporarily
to be blocked.
Upon request of the Treasury De
partment, however. McCarl looked
into the possibility of operating seized
vessels from funds of either the pro-
hibition unit or customs. and in de-
cision made public today ruled that
the Coast Guard could go ahead with
such operation.
This clears the way, Treasury
officials agreed this morning, for the
Government to go ahead and plan
for the operation of any boats they
have tied up in the many ports OF
the United States which have been
forfeited and which may be suited for
use in chasing the elusive smuggler.
A complete list of all such vessels
has been compiled by the customs,
Coast Guard and prohibition unit, all
three of which have seized boats.
The number, while not made public
in detail, is said to amount to huge
figure. Not a great many of these
boats now on hand, however, the
Treasury admits, will be suitable for
operation. Most of them are tied up
at the wharveS in New York and in
the Great Lakes.
More ships are liable to seizure,
however. officials predict. with the
veiled threat that millionaires oper-
ating private booze parties on board
their floating palaces had best be-
ware, and that the rum smuggler
with speedboats capable of almost
flying speed had better stop their
risky business if they wish to keep
their property.
Two Points in Issue.
Two specific parts of the funds to
be used in operating forfeited vessels
by the Coast Guard, were dealt with
in the Controller Generals decision
today.
1t was held that the pay and al
lowanceS of regular personnel of the
Coast Guard could be taken from regu-
lar Coast Guard funds, since there
can be no doubt . . that the en-
forcement of the customs laws con-
stituteS one of the major duties of
the Coast Guard"
Concerning the formerly question
able point. however, as to whether
the maintenance, repair and opera
ton of the forfeited vessels" could be
met, the controller general held that
they were not chargeable against the
Coast Guard under the law, but could
be paid lin the first instance from
Coast Guard appropriations, said APP
preparations to be thereafter reim-
bursed from the appropriations for
collecting the revenue from customs
and for enforcing the national prohi-
bition act"