Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-11
LEWATHAN TO SELL
LIQUOR ON RETURN
Executive Of Company Own.
ing Line Hopes to Curb
BootIegging on Ship.
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 1i.--No liquor will
| be sold on the Leviathan on her pres
| ent voyage to Europe, Joseph r. Sheedy,
| executive vice president of the United
| States Lines, Inc, announced this aft
| ernoon. He said that his order to the
stewards Of the ship was to serve liquors
on the Western trip.
AFTER prohibition, the United States
Shipping Board deemed 1t good policy
| to enforce the Federal law on board
vessels under its control, but that didn't
stop the drinking. Passengers brought
their own liquor on board, and boot
Logging was rife. We hope to stop all
that by making 1t possible for them
to obtain liquor legally on board"
Not to Serve Too Much.
"T made the decision entirely on my
own responsibility after consulting a
great number Of steamship people and
travellers and hope when 1t comes be-
fore our board Of directors they will
support It, There is no legal technical
ity involved and no law violated by the
arrangement. The Supreme Court rem
dered q decision some time ago permit
ting American-owned vessels to sell
liquor outside the territorial limits Of
IL miles
Now that women drink and smoke
and ali sorts of language develops where
liquor is served. 1t is much better that
there be no ship bar. Passengers may
have what they desire in their cabins
and in the dining room-unless they
give evidence of having had too much.
In that case, they will be served no
more liquor"
The liner was making her maiden
voyage under private American owner
ship as the flagship of the newly or
ganized United States Lines, Inc,
Sheedy said there would be no
public bar In the ship, but that liquors
and wines would be served to passengers
in their cabins and in the dining rooms
and smoking rooms. Drinks will be
served at meals. It will be unnecessary
to purchase whole bottles.
Same Policy on All Ships.
The same policy, Sheedy said, would
be put into effect aboard the other 10
ships which Paul w. Chapman recently
purchased from the United States Ship
ping Board and which will make up the
United States Lines fleet.
Sheedy said the company sought no
direct financial gain from the sale of
liquor, but deemed it necessary to offer
1t for sale to put the American owned
vessels on an equal footing with foreign
transatlantic liners.
Under the law ships are permitted to
carry / quart of LIQUOR for each i've
passengers and members of the crew for
medical purposes. This would give the
Leviathan an allowance OF TOO quarts
on this voyage to Europe.
The Leviathan and other Shipping
Board vessels were made dry in 1923 on
the theory that liquor should not be
sold on Government-owned ships.
All other American lines whose yes
sells touch foreign ports, except the Doll
lar Line, sell liquor.
Sheedy, as vice president Of the Mer-
chant Fleet Corporation in charge of
operations, signed the official order that
Shipping Board vessels for sale to pas
sengerS.
Hurley Is Passenger.
Edward N. Hurley OF Chicago, who
was chairman Of the Shipping Board
when the Leviathan was reconditioned
for passenger service after wartime
transport duty, is a passenger on the
present voyage.
Sheedy said he had obtained legal
advice that no law would be violated in
t4lC dlIhLlBCIIlcLlL ItG AldQ OEQcEeQ.
The other ships to be taken over by
the United States Lines and on which
the same liquor rule will apply are the
America, George Washington, President
Harding, President Roosevelt, American
Farmer, American Shipper, American
Merchant, American Trader and the
Republic. The last of these ships will
be turned over to the new owners
on June 8.
Senator Wesley l.. Jones, sponsor of
the Jones act. said In his opinion the
line was making mistake" In per-
hitting the sale Of liquor.
They oughtn't to do it." he added.
II don't know how far the law can 60
to stop 1t. but 1t ought to go as far as
1t can. An American ship is American
territory. There are many people who
win decline to travel on it, am sure,
II this goes into effect--law-abiding
citizens from various parts Of the coun-
try"
Orville s. Poland, New York State
counsel Of the Anti-Ealoon League, also
predicted the United States Lines would
lose business. .................,.j