Chasers

A plan to convert the " 50 or 60 " submarine chasers into rum chasers was developed by Prohibition Commissioner Haynes in collaboration with naval officers. He presented the plan to President Harding for decision.

It seems that there is no legal bar to the President's using the navy for enforcing prohibition laws. Navy officials, however, object to the use of line officers for such a purpose, so it is probable that if the plan is put into effect the rum chasers will be manned by petty officers and placed temporarily under the Coast Guard.

The rum fleet is, of course, legally free from molestation on the high seas, but the motorboats which bring the liquor cargoes ashore from vessels three miles out are subject to interruption. The present prohibition fleet is inadequate to cope with the numbers and speed of the motorboats which bring liquor in across the last three miles of open water. It is to intercept these craft that the former submarine chasers would be used.