Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-17
proprfetors were selling liquor to minors
and were violating the law in other wayE

made a tour Of inspection.
What the police had reported, was moth
ing compared to the evidence which the
board members were able to gather in q
time and excitement, as furnished in the
music halls. They saw It all. And when
the time came for a renewal of license
there was a dead stop.
However, the excise board members
claim they are not in Office for that sort
OF gum-shoe work.
The excise board has an inspector
whose duty 1t Is to tour the saloons and
drinking places to see that the laws are
compiled with. He is better known to
the police. 1t is practically impossible for
him to report anything except the preva-
lence Of unusually good order while he II
In sight.
Views Of s. T. Kalbfus.
Samuel T.. Kalbfus. a member of the
excise board. said after the first story
dealing with the excise violations was
printed in The Star that all he wanted
was specific proof that music hall pro-
prietors or saIoonkeepers are selling to
minors:
In all reports we have on file, here.
some five hundred or more, / believe
can honestly say that there is not one
u.
''YOu cannot expect us to take away
q mans business on a mere hearsay. We
want the facts. And the facts have been
hard to get. 1t is not up to us to get
them.
I'VE have held hearings in this board
room time after time. / remember
man whom we thought we had dead to
rights. He was charged with selling
liquor to a boy under twenty-one. The
boy looked the part all right. But the
saioonkeeper produced letter from the
boys father saying he was OF age.
Another place we wanted to close up
because it was tough generally. and
such scenes as The Star has described
were accredited to this place. We failed.
because, at the last minute, our principal
witness went back on us.
He wrote a description. of one OF the
most horrible occurrences ! have ever
known. Then he turned around and
denied it. So we have to get action IN
the police court.
+ Board Puts It Up to Police.
The excise board puts the entire re-
sponsibility on the police for hotels that
sell drinks to youngsters Assessor Rich
ards explained 1t in this way:
THE matter has been through the
courts, which have construed the law to
mean that a license for a hotel is to be
kTauteu WUtu IL 10 pToScu lhoS - - -
legitimate hotel complying with the law.
Any evidence that the proprietor Is VIC
lating the excise law. according to the
courts, must be presented In court and
q conviction obtained before we can hold
up the license.
I'VE cannot touch the license of hotel
keeper who sells to minors unless the
police get the evidence and push IT
through the courts"
Gallinger Idea Endorsed.
The suggestion Of Senator Gallinger
that debauchery of young girls and
youths through the agency OF iaWiess
liquor dealers be suppressed-by the po-
lice, II possible-but suppressed anyhow.
meets with approval of the citizens OF
the National Capital.
Acquiescence with this point OF view
is expressed in many letters received by
The Star Endorsing its crusade for en-
forcement of law in saloons and music
halls.
The following communication is from
a Washington clergyman on the situa-
ton
Editor of The Evening Star:
Permit me to express TO you my high
appreciation and personal gratitude for
the heroic manner in which you are uns