Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-27

Liquor on the former Government
owned ship Leviathan, now under the
United States flag In private ownership,
is widely discussed by the American
press The problems involved in the
observance of the dry law within the
12-mile limit are chiefly of interest. AS
to the right of the ship to sell liquor
under proper regulations the New York
Sun comments There may be doubt
as to the legality of selling the medical
store of liquor on the eastward voyage.
There is no doubt Of the present right
Of the owners to stock the bars in Eu-
rope and sell on the westward voyage"
The Sun emphasizes as important the
understanding that the ships of the
| United States lines were sold ain full
knowledge Of the rights Of the owners
TO sell liquor on the high seas"
"On the westbound Journey" the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin explains,
passengers may buy freely from a stock
Of liquors calculated to supply the de-
mand before the Leviathan reaches the
i2-mile limit. Should the supply ex-
coed the demand, then the unSold sur
plus must be thrown overheard, jet
| tisoned, dumped into Davy Jones locker.
| the American flag will be in worse
position than vessels Of British registry
| were before the treaty. The latter could
come to the Smile limit before jettison-
| ing their wet cargo. After the treaty
they could put their liquor under seal
at the 12-mile limit, and when they
were 4 leagues from land on the out
wardbound trip they could reopen their
bars. But the Leviathan, as an Ameri-
can ship, must not transport liquor
within the IL miles In either direction,
q ractricfioY, that should or far tn ctifo
the clamor."
Quoting reports that the steamship
was stocked with liquor for sale" on
the westward trip, the Harrisburg Pa
! triot emphasizes the public uncertainty
on the subject with the query, Just
how certain the owners are of their
rights to do this is not known, but there
| Is something significant in the dis
| patches which say that ship officials
| refused to tell how much liquor was put
aboard, and that the loading was done
in great secrecy. Persons proud of what
| they are doing and sure that they are
| right usually do not adopt such tactics"
| Conditions under Government owner
| ship OF the Leviathan are discussed by
| the Charleston Evening Post, with the
| statement: IF law can be enforced
anywhere, 1t can be on board vessel at
sea, where the captain is an absolute
autocrat. II liquor has been served
aboard the Leviathan, as traveller as
serts, while it was operated by and for
the Government, it was, of course, not
because enforcement was impossible,
but because 1t was not genuinely sought.
And that has been going on for years
and the dry organizations have not
made any agitation about 1t, although
they could not but have known 1t. Well,
1t Is the same at sea as upon the land
when 1t comes TO a matter of alcoholic
service, How is it on the air lines?"
IF American ships do not stand for
| the law" declares the Savannah Press,
they ought to be made to stand for it..
Any violence to the Leviathan would be
resented by the whole United States.
| It's flag is its protection. 1t could claim
| satisfaction from any enemy who Of
fered it violence. Wherever 1t goes 1t
carries the prestige of this country and
could demand its intervention. How
| could 1t do this when 1t violated fla
| gravity one of the first laws of the land,
and served In its saloon liquors which
are prohibited in the organic law and
in the statutes of the country?"
| Opponents OF prohibition. accord
ing to the South Bend Tribune, have
used the American patronage of steam
ships flying foreign flags to support
| their arguments. II mas never been
definitely established, however, that the
Federal Governments failure to make
| good in the shipping business was at
tributable to the lack Of liquor on board
the United States liners. These
lines, under Government ownership
did not offer a superior service. The
foreign competitors offered something
more than alcohol. The new owners Of
the United States lines probably would
/ find, II they brought their service to
maximum efficiency, that the dryness or