PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17756, 7 May 1923, Page 9

PROHIBITION IN AMERICA.

THREE-MILE LIMIT EMBARGO.

FRANCE'S STRONG PROTEST,

(BT CABLB —PBE3S ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTBALIAN AND !T.Z. CABLK ASSOCIATION.)

(Received May 6th. 5.5 p.m.)

PARIS. May 5.

The Government has sent a strong protest to Washington against the new ruling regarding liquor in ships, which it declares is contrary to international law. WASHINGTON'S DIFFICULTY. AN EMBARRASSING POSITION. (Received May 6th, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 5. Franco's protest over the- Supreme Court's decision lias keenly embarrassed the Administration and brought forth a practical admission that the Government does not expect strictly to enforce the law against foreign vessels. It is hinted that the State Dopartmtnt hoped to avoid international friction by tactfully ignoring infringements, but. M. Poincare's action in protesting without waiting for an overt act unexpectedly upset the plans of Mr Harding and Mr C. E. Hughes. The White Houso spokesman intimated that President Harding recognises that the law must be applied to foreign ships with consideration for other nations, and is confident that no diplomatic cornplications will arise. This is construed to moan that the United States will avoid tlicm.

Tlie Supreme . Court uphold the Daugherty ruling, under the Prohibition Amendment, that foreign ships cannot bring liquor within tho threemile limit, even as sea stores, thus upsetting the Federal Court injunctions. (Simultaneously, tho Court upheld the Daugherty ruling that there was nothing in the Prohibition Amendment preventing American ships from carrying liquor in foreign waters. The Supreme Court decision was made on uppeals from the Lower Court decisions, in the first instance, by Mr IT. M. Daugherty, Attorney-General, and in the second instance by American shipping companies. The Court's ruling is based on the decision that tho Prohibition Amendment is only applicable to physical territory undor United States sovereignty. The ' control of foreign and American shipping is thus placed on an equal footing, noither being allowed to bring liquor within the three-mile limit, but both are able to carry it outside.

A Washington message said Mv A. W. Mellon, Secretary oi 1 the Treasury, had issued a statement fixing June 10th as the date after which no vessels, foreign or American, would be permitted to bring beverage alcoholic liquors within American territorial waters, although medicinal liquors would not be molested.

Mr Mellon admitted that such an enforcement would be a delicate matter, saying that the under tho decision of the Supreme Court, "affecting, as it does, the rights of Governments under international treaties, will require extraordinary\care ; " He declared that no foreign ships violating the Prohibition regulations would be seized. The liquor found on board ships would be confiscated, but there was no legal authority for penalising shipowners.He explained that the new ruling did not involve medicinal liquor cr Embassy supplies in ships, but it did involve crews' rations, which situation would be met when it arose. The protest of the French Government was to be expected in view ot the fact that wine and cognac form part of the crews' rations m. all French ships, this apart from any question of supplies of liquor for consumption by passengers. i

POSITION OF C.-A. LINE,

VANCOUVER, May 4

Officials of the Canadian-Australa-sian Lino deny the statement attributed to them that the company's steamers will not call at Honolulu on account of the liquor decision.

ENFORCING THE DRY LAWS

NEW YORK REPEALS STATE ACT (Received May 6th, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 4. The New York State Assembly passed a Bill repealing the State prohibition enforcement law by 76 votes to 71. The repealed measure provided more strict penalties than were provided in the Federal Volstead law, broad powers being vested in the civic police, such as search and arrest without , warrant. The new situation means that prohibition enforcement in New York State will be left largely to the Federal authorities.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION. (Received May 6th, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 5. The Federal ProhißHion Bureau declares that, apart altogether from the repeal of the New York State enforcement law, the police and the State officials are sworn to uphold the Federal Constitution of which the Eighteenth Amendment is a part. It is stated that the New York city authorities will demand a continuance of the enforcement of the law.