Evening star., 1925-01-09
j. S. TO SEIZE RUM
VESSELSANY PLACE.
Backed by Court Ruling in
Search for Canadian Ships
in Pacific.
BY Consolidated press

ny Consoiioated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, January O.
years envelops the Pacific far out to
sea, and honest ocean traffic gropes
it's way to the tune of believing. bull
toned fog horns, grim game of hide
and seek between a duo of revenue
cutters on one side and a twain OF
richly laden Canadian rum runners
on the other was being played up and
down California's coast today.
The seekers in this intensive ocean
hunt are the cutters Shawnee and
Bear. The rum runners which they
are endeavoring to find in the blind
ing fog are the steamships Malahat
and Strathona, both from Vancouver
and both of which for several days,
according to information in the hands
of Government agents here, have
been seeking-but only with partial
success-to land huge cargoes OF u
licit liquor in the region Of Monterey
and Half Moon Bay.
VIII Ignore Boundary.
The outcome of the hunt Is of more
than passing interest because, should
the Shawnee and Bear come upon the
Malahat and the Strathona, an en-
tirely new precedent in guarding
American shores from foreign rum
shipments may be established. The
precedent is expected to come through
the fact that the revenue cutters VIII
seize the alleged rum runners, re-
gardless OF where they may be
found-whether it is within the r.
mile limit or many miles at sea.
The ocean hunt of the Shawnee and
Bear and the hitherto unprecedented
course of action they are expected to
follow will be predicated upon the
legal rights of Uncle Sam to defend
his shores against smugglers, as laid
down here early this week by Federal
Judge John S. Partridge.
The opinion of Judge Partridge, rem
dered in the case of a Canadian rum
ship seized several weeks ago just off
Farallone Islands. Is. in effect, that
any foreign rum ship en- route to land
cargo OF liquor along American
shores Is thereby violating American
laws, and that this country, under both
international maritime law and the
recent treaty with Great Britain. has
the right to pursue and capture them
wherever they may be found
Backed by Other Courts.
Since Judge Partridge expressed
himself regarding Uncle Sans rum
ship "arresting" rights this week sew
eral other Federal judges here have
expressed concurrence in his ruling.
Inc result Is tndl 6ONcTnihcht oilSIaiS
vested with the responsibility for
helping enforce the Volstead law are
going to act upon II to the limit.
Revenue cutters, In conformity with this
policy have been told to seize rum
runners wherever they may be found.
In the case of the Malahat and
the Strathone. however, Government
agents contend they have consider
ably stronger evidence than the mere
fact that both vessels are laden with
liquor intended for somewhere along
California's coast. The evidence, it
liquor branded on the outside with
the names of two Canadian steam
ships which have been seized during
the last few days from bootleggers
who took it off vessels IN fast power
boats several miles at sea. This, II
Is pointed out, is prima facie proof
that the two rum runners have actu-
ally violated the laws of the United
States and that under a decision of
the Supreme Court Of Canad itself
In such a case American revenue
cutters have a right to pursue and
seize the Malahat and the Strataona
wherever they may be found-cven
in Vancouver itself
The intensive hunt of the Shawnee
and Bear has been in progress two
days and nights. They have been
handicapped, however, by the vast
pail of fog which has draped the en-
tire Pacific Coast for almost week.
Commanders Of both revenue cutters.
IT is said, have orders to use force,
even gunfire, If necessary