ROOM FOR CHASING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1923, Page 7

ROOM FOR CHASING

THE TWELVE-MILE LIMIT

AMERICA'S TREATY PROPOSAL

OVER-RIDING HIGHEST COURT.

(CNJTED PREtS ABSOCI.UIOS.—COPIRIOHT.) (AUSTRALIAN - XE7r ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received Ist November, 9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, 31st October. President Coolidge informed newspaper correspondents to-day that, upon receipt of official information confirming the British acceptance of the twelve mile search , proposal, steps will be initiated to draft a treaty which, in spite of the Supreme Court's ruling, will permit British vessels to bring liquor stores into .American territorial waters. In return .for this concession the United States will have the right of search and seizure of rum smugglers on the British registry within twelve miles of American shores. Mr. : Coolidge holds that the treaty, when ratified by the -Senate, becomes the highest law of the land, and will in this case supersede the Volstead law.

The twelve-mile limit for the "territorial waters'' in respect of the search for contraband liquor is sought by the United States owing to the difficulty of checking smuggling when the right of search extends only over a three-milo strip of water as at .present. The proposal was made in, June, including the offer of permit ships to bring liquor into American waters under seal. The Supreme Court's judgment which is mentioned in the cable message was delivered on 30th April. It declares that under the present {Volstead) law, no ship, of any nationality, can bring liquor into American waters; and also that, outside the physical territory under the sovereignty of the United States, any ship can carry liquor, including American vessels.