Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-27
Boards Interpretation May
Result in Breach in Anti
Saloon League Ranks.
PROTEST NOT ENDORSED
BY LEAGUE PRESIDENT
Mr.. Wilson Refuses to Say Whether
He Sanctioned Action of At
torney Shoemaker.

What is the position Of the Anti-Saloon
League with respect to the regulations
adopted by the excise board for enforcing
the Jones-Works law?
This question was on many tongues to-
day as the result of the circulation of a
report TO the effect that the league had
not Endorsed the objections to the regu-
lations which were filed with the excise
board by A. E. Shoemaker, attorney for
the league.
President Andrew Wilson of the anti
liquor organization refused to discuss the
case. He would not say whether the pro-
test had the backing of the league MEM
bers or his own personal Endorsement.
Attorney Shoemaker declared that Mr..
Wilson read the protest and ordered him
10 file II with the board He said that
the league did not take formal action in
the matter, but that he had previously
talked with members of the executive
committee concerning the moot points in
the law and felt confident that the OBJ
jections made represent their views.
Doubt Shrouds Position.
Not since the beginning of the fight to
trict has the position of the Anti-Saloon
League been as much shrouded in doubt
as in the present instance Mr.. Wilson s
refusal to discuss the situation and the
fact that there has been no meeting OF
the executive committee to consider the
vanced for the uncertainty that has de-
yeloped concerning the leagues stand
on the excise board rules.
Much interest in the matter was evil
t~la
the excise board in the Municipal build
Ing. The possibility of friction develop
ing between the president and attorney
OF the league was discussed, in view of
the refusal of Mr.. Wilson to say
whether he had anything to do with the
Ming OF the protest and the declaration
of Mr.. Shoemaker that he had submit
ted the objections only after being in
structed to do so by the league head.
The excise board evidently considered
Shoemaker's personal views, for the an
swer which IL made yesterday to the
various points brought up by Mr.. Shoe
maker was addressed to the Anti-Saloon
League.
The board refused to modify its regula-
lions to meet the suggestions contained
In the protest, explaining its position
on the various points at issue. Mr.. Shoe
maker said today that he will file re-
quest to have the regulations reviewed
by the corporation counsel.
Answer Of the Board.
The answer Of the board is as fol-
lows:
THE excise board is in receipt Of your
communication of the 10Th instant,
wherein objection is made to sections 2.
q, 4. 5. 6. 8. Is and "A Of its rules and
regulations. recently adopted.
The sections will be considered here
in the order mentioned:
Sections 2 to Q: Your objections to
with the question shall any licensee.
who. in the conduct Of his business, does
not violate the law. be deprived of his
license or required to change his loca-
ton prior to November l, 1914? On this
point the law reads
LIN the issuing Of licenses for bar
rooms IL shall be the duty of the excise
board TO adopt such a policy as will re-
duce the number of barrooms. including
those in hotels and clubs. to not ex-
ceeding 800 by November /, 1914, but no
licensee who shall conduct his business
within the law shall be deprived Of his
license or required to change his loca-
ton before November /. 1914.
1T is the opinion of the excise board
that Congress meant just what ii said,
that no licensee who does not violate
the law shall be deprived Of his license
prior to November i, 1914 This view is
not only supported by the language of
the law, but also by the very clear ex-
pressions of views by members of the
House of Representatives on the floor
of the House during the discussion o.
the excise law.
Congress Members Quoted.
The Hon. Edwin Y. Webb said: We
extend the time for the reduction OF
the number OF saloons to 800 to No
yember, 1914. That gives the present
barkeepers eighteen months to sell out
and close up business
The Hon. Swager Sherley said: III
gives eighteen months to men now in
the saloon business to accommodate
themselves to the new conditions. II
does regulate by eventually reducing
the number of saloons to 800 and in
cluded In that number are the clubs
which are limited to twenty-five
Section 8: The excise board has de-
clared that II was not the intention of
Congress to eliminate clubs and hotels
from the residential portions of the
District While the law recognizes only
two kinds of licenses. wholesale liquor
and barroom licenses IL clearly dis
tinguishes between a barroom as an
institution and barroom license In
paragraph 2 of the excise law, which
excludes barrooms from residential
streets. the law distinctly refers to
'barrooms' and not to all institutions
having 'barroom licenses The language
of the law Is:
Hereafter no license shall be granted
for the establishment or maintenance OF
barroom other place for the sal,
OF intoxicating liquors in any
residence portion OF the District of Co
lumbia and IL shall be the duty of tn,
excise board to determine in the case o.
each application for license whether the 10
cation where the barroom Is to be located
is or Is not within the business portion OF
the District provided, that no IL
cense shall be granted for any saloon o.
barroom on any side of any square, blocl
or tract of land where less than fifty
per centum of the foot frontage not In
Guiding saloons hotels and clubs hav
Ing barroom licenses >
I'm practically every other paragraph
OF the law hotels and clubs are ex
pressly exempted from the restriction
placed on barrooms or saloons. And /
II clear that in eliminating licenses from
residential streets there was no intentio
10 disturb clubs and hotels. the plain pur
pose OF Congress being to wipe out bar
rooms as such.
Language Of the Law.
Section s: The law reads:
Hereafter no license shall be granite,
for the establishment or maintenance O
q barToom or other place for the sale O
oth