The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-05-19
Retail Liquor Dealers Assn.
Send Ordinance to Council
to Danish Free Lunch
IS IN DOUBT AS TO RIGHTS
All Sorts of Lunch With the Exception
of Pretzels, Cheese and Crackers are
Legislated Out of Existence if Ordi-
nance is Passed

The Kenosha branch of the Wiscon-
sin Retail Liquor Dealers Association
have landed body blow at the ancient
and honorable custom of serving free
lunch in the saloons of the city and
they have gone to the extent of seek
ing to have the common council OF
the city which is able to regulate any
thing from bathing suits down, put
the official frown on the plan OF serv-
ing free lunch in the various dispen-
saries of intoXicants. An ordinance
providing for the abolishing of the
toothsome free lunches was sent to the
common council at it's meeting on Mon
day evening by John B. Ortiz, the
president of the Kenosha Retail Lii
quor Dealers Association and it was
made plain that the ordinance had the
support Of that organization. The
council did not take any official ac-
tion on the ordinance and in fact it
was net even given its first reading,
but it is understood that the liquor
men will insist that it be officially rec
ognized by the council and that it take
the course of ordinances. The ordi-
nance has been under consideration for
some time among the saloon men and a
the liquor men declare that they are
desperately in earnest and that they
will insist on the council passing the
ordinance. The ordinance as it is
worded makes it a misdemeanor to set
up, display or offer any lunch in any
saloon licensed by the city of Kenosha.
However, it draws the line somewhere
and pretzels, crackers and cheese are
placed on the free list providing the
saloon man shall provide proper and
sanitary closed receptacle for the hold
ing of these viands. There is no stip-
uIation made as to the number of kinds
of pretzels, cheese or crackers that
may be served. However, all garlic
as we'll as all meats and
the toothsome green onion are barred
in the ordinance.
The violation of the ordinance will
mean a hard row for the saloon man
who dafes put up the lunch as the ordi
nance provides that any violation of
the ordinance shall be punished with
a fine of not less than five nor more
than twenty-five dollars and the deal
er may be fined into submission to the
will Of the Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton.
It is understood that the ordinance
has the unanimous support of the
members of the association, but it
brings up grave question of personal
liberty. The saloon men are strong
on the "personal liberty" game and
some of them insist that if they want
to set up lunch for their customers
it is none of the business of the city
of Kenosha or the Wisconsin Retail
Liquor Dealers Association.
Strong pressure is to be brought on
the council to secure the passage of
the ordinance, but the original recep-
ton from the council was not very
cordial one and it is not at all i'm
probable that the proposed law will be
laughed into pigeon hole and allow
ed to die there.
The saloon men supporting the ordi-
nance declare that the question of free
lunches is becoming very serious one
for the members of the association and
that it is taking all the profits of the
business and then some to keep up
with the procession of free lunches
that are being set out in an effort to
stimulate the business.
The ordinance will undoubtedly be
bitterly opposed by many men who
are selling the saloons meats and other
articles used in the making of the
lunch and it will find no friends among
the army of regular boarders who have
been depending on the saloons for their
meals. These men can be counted on
to oppose the ordinance and it is GER
tain that they have as in the past con
siderable weight with the administra
ton. The saloon men are planning to
send a delegation to the next meeting
of the council to urge the passage Of
the ordinance.