The sun., 1908-02-28
LIQUOR War FOR ENGLAND
MINISTRY BRINGS IN RADICAL
LICENSE BILL.
BAfOur DenOuncos It as RObbeFy-NOe
LIKELY Co Pass SUnchAnged-WOuId wipe
Out One-third OF All saloons and Invade
Even the west End Clubs In London.
Special caOlS DsspatcA % THH Sun.

Out Dne-thiru OF All saloons and Invade
Even the west End Clubs In London.
Special caDlS Despatch 10 The Sun.
LONDON. Feb 27-The country has long
been speculating on the GOvernment's
promised licensing bill. dealing with the
liquor trade and allied subjects, which
Chancellor Of the Exchequer ABquith intro
duced In the House Of Commons this after
noon. IL was known that IL would be q
drastic Temperance measure. but few II
any expected such sweeping proposals a.
Mr.. Asquth announced.
n enacted the bill will reduce the ex-
lsting licensed houses in England and
Wales by one-third: in other words IL
will abolish about $4,000 bars at which
intodcants are now sold. There win thus
b one licensed house 70 every 600 or 800
people In towns and one for every 400 or
500 in the country districts. compared with
the present general average OF one for
every SO inhabitants.
Compensation will be given to those who
sre dispossessed, being levied as now in
certain cases upon the remaining license
holders, but after fourteen years no COM
pensation will be paid when a license Is
taken away. The granting Of all future
new hoenses will be the subject Of local
option, poll being taken when demanded
and a simple majority to decide. A refusal
10 grant q new license will be rescindable
only after three years by another poll.
Public houses outside Of London will be
allowed to keep open only three hours ON
Sunday. With view to preventing clubs
from becoming virtually public house,
and evading the law they are brought
within the act. and must renew their licenses
annually. They must also submit to police
inspection. There will be no exceptions. and
and the law will be applicable to the fashion
able clubs in Pail Mall and st. James street
equally with the workmen's beer clubs.
Justices Of the peace will act locally as
the licensing authority They are en-
powered to order children entirely excluded
from bars. to close bars on polling days
and to decide whether women shall be en-
ployed as bartenders. One Of the essential
aims Of the act is the recovery by the State
Of property in licenses which theoretically
has always existed but has been allowed
70 escape its control
In the course OF the debate on the measure
strong criticism developed. Mr.. Balfour
struck the keynote of the opposition's
attitude in declaring the bill was robbery.
Everybody in the House seemed anxious
to speak. The extreme temperance re-
formers were delighted. while every de-
fender Of the liquor trade foresaw blank
ruin.
The consensus of opinion in the lobbies
was that the bill is too radical to pass as il
stands and that it will bS Smodified by the
combined efforts Of the moderates OF all
parties.
unfair, -unworkable, dishonest, $50
cialistic, mean" and -spiteful" are among
the epithets bestowed by the leading brew
ers and wine and spirit merchants upon
Mr.. Asquith's bill. They say it is death
by slow torture for the brewing companies
and that most of them will be ruined. Il
will create a financial cataclysm at the
Stock Exchange which will affect other
than brewery finances. In the meantime
II does not Inconvenience the consumer
In the least and it will not promote tenn
perance one iots.
d. Some Conservatives profess to be really
delighted. declaring that the Government
has committed suicide.