LIQUOR FOR AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18381, 23 April 1923, Page 8

LIQUOR FOR AMERICA.

PREVENTION OF SMUGGLING.

BRITISH CO-OPERATION.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received 8.4 p.m.) A. and N.Z. ' NEW YORK, April 21. Washington correspondents state that the Cabinet, after a long session concerning liquor smuggling on the Atlantic ooast, decided that immediate drastic action is required to. end what the President regards as a very grave problem. The continual presence off the New Jersey coast of numerous liquor-laden craft under foreign registry is rendering tho enforcement of prohibition almost impossible.

' Though it ia announced that the Government has no definite plan formulated, it is believed that two lines of action are being studied, namely, either to make a strong request for the cooperation of other (Governments to suppress smuggling or to use the Navy to disperse liquor-running vessels. There is considerable opposition to tho latter course, many officials believing that it would result in international complications unfavourable to the United States. Mr. C. E. Hughes has published a Note by the State Department disclosing that Britain declined' to join the United States in the mutual, search of ships on the higb seas, but expressed a desire to co-operate in other ways in curbing illicit liquor traffic, negotiations for which are now under ,way. The Washington correspondent of the New York Times reports that the British Embassy has stated that it hag instructed the Consulate at New York to get into communication with vessels of the British registry now lying off the three-mile limit with liquor cargoes, which, it is believed, they will illicitly land at New York. While the Embassy would not further comment upon the incident, it is understood that this action is being taken in connection with the announcement' in the British Parliament that it is Intended to co-operate" with the United States in stopping the smuggling of liquor into the United States.'