PROHIBITION: Canadian Conference

Five gentlemen from the U. S. Departments of State, Treasury, Justice, visited Ottawa, Ont. They went under the leadership of McKenzie Moss, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. They conferred for four days with representatives of the William Lyon Mackenzie King (Canadian) Cabinet. They brought a number of proposals for the better enforcement of prohibition along the Canadian border. They discussed and departed, leaving their proposals to be acted on by the Mackenzie King Cabinet.

The result is uncertain. It is not considered likely that the King Cabinet will endorse all the proposals, some of which are far reaching. Canada deals with its prohibition question by provinces, and some of these are wet and some dry. The chief proposals made by the Americans included:

¶That Canada prohibit the clearance of ships carrying liquor for U. S. ports.

¶That Canada prohibit the clearance of ships of less than 250 tons carrying liquor to any port in the world (the inference being that such small vessels are unfit for high seas trade and only intend to smuggle liquor into this country).

¶That U. S. officials have the right to search vessels for liquor on the Great Lakes.

¶That Canada give the U. S. power to extradite persons accused of violating liquor laws of this country. (These persons cannot now be extradited because such offenses are not penal offenses in Canada).

¶By way of concession, that a treaty arrangement be made wherebyCanadians might transport liquor across Alaska to the Klondike.