The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
CLUBS WILL FIGHT
THE EXCISE BOARD
Propose to Reopen the Bar
License Question.
THREE APPLICATIONS DENIED
Drastic Action IL Taken In an
Effort 10 Reduce sunday Drink
ing in washiuKtOn-Organ
Claim 10 Be DumfOunded by the
Refusal 10 Grant Renewals.

Three clubs OF this city. two Of them
az least being old and weli-established.
were dumfounded yesterday by the ac-
ton Of the excise board in rejecting their
annual applications for barrOom licenses.
II was, they say, utterly unexpected. and
formed the chief topic OF conversation in
their purlieus last night
The clubs affected are the Chamberlin,
S21 Fifteenth street northwest; the Jolly
Fat Mems Club, 933 D street northwest.
and the Bartenders' Union Club, 903 Z
n street northwest.
They have been ordered 10 close their
bars Al midnight tomorrow. and TO stop
the sale of LIQUOR henceforward.
n IN the absence Of any detailed state
ment by the excise board. club officials
are averse 10 talking That the viii
! night for their rights" and possibly ig-
more the drastic order as tne quickest
manner Of Forcing the issue In the courts,
/ is frankly asserted. All the clubs profess
10 be at a loss 10 know what caused the
board 10 rule against them, as they ac-
quilted themselves With credit In the
/ hearings
Sunday Drinking Allowed.
/ Coincident with the rejection OF the IL
n censes. the excise board announced that
it did not regard the clubs as bona fde
I organizations such as the law contem-
plates and il ascertained that they al
lowed large amount Of Sunday drink
ing This the board desires 10 reduce.
\ The board deliberated upon the question
OF the Chamberlin Club license from Jan
/ uary y, when its representatives were
heard. The officials OF the Bartenders'
Union Club We're heard Friday. and the
Jolly Fat Mems Club yesterday morning.
The latter organization did not think the
element OF doubt entered into the Ques-
Son until the decision OF the board was
II announced.
The excise board rejected the applica-
tons on the ground that the clubs were
not such as the excise law permits" said
III Chairman Richards yesterday. In one
case the Sunday bar receipts were found
20 average between 500 and 500. although
the total membership Of the club is only
20
The excise board intends 10 enforce
rigidly the excise laws regarding clubs
There is too much Sunday drinking In
Washington, and the board intends 10
reduce that 10 a minimum. not allowing
licenses 10 clubs IN which the Sunday
bar Is the most prominent feature
That the bars were run for revenue
purposes was asserted by another member
OF the board Profits from this source
made the existence OF the club possible
or at least. made many features possible
which the small dues would never cover.
Boards Action Severe.
While the board IS logically following
out a policy made public last November.
its action IL unprecedented in severity.
/ All OF the clubs OF the city have been
investigated. and renewals were not
granted where the slightest doubt OF their
1 good faith existed. As a result many
hearings were held. and many clubs were
reorganized. il was not until yesterday
that any licenses were denied. however.
Fight the order? Certainly said V.
| A. Carroll, manager OF the Bartenders'
Union Club I'VE haven't any Official
! notification yet. and therefore haven't
taken any action. You may be sure We
would have been represented by an at
| torney al the excise board hearing if I
had held any doubt os The issue. We
! acted In good faith. and We believed the
/ excise board would also. We made a fair
and square statement Of our methods, and
! apparently the board accepted them. At
| any rate, one member Of the board con-
graduated me upon my testimony after
the hearing. and so did a. E. Shoemaker,
attorney for the Anti-Saloon League. SO
I surely had reason TO feel confident that
our barroom application would be granted.
! ct do not know why we were turned
down. The board may have ignored the
/ fact that this club was reOrganized at
! the beginning OF the year If there were
evil conditions before. there are certainly
none now. and 7 cannot make II too strong
by saying that I believe We have been
dealt with unjCstly. 1 can't say whether
we will close our bar in accordance with
the order or not. We probably viii. but
We will also attempt every possible legal
proceeding TO reopen the case and have
the order reversed.
| T. 2. Miller. manager Of the Chamber
lin Club, was equally emphatic IN his
remarks.
Bar Receipts Light.
My club has not been treated fairly"
he said. Any insinuations 10 the effect
that liquor sales constitute the chief eIe-
ment in our revenue are untrue. As a
matter OF fact. our bar receipts are light
The excise board T light at least have
given 10 the public some solid reason for
IT'S action affecting the Chamberlin Club.
I am unable to believe that there are any
weak points in the organization as il IS
being run at the present time.
1T is a foregone conclusion that this
matter will be fought out in the courts.
We are willing 10 undergo any inspection
in reference to Sunday drinking. Prob
ablv our frsr action will be 10 demand