Evening star., 1915-03-13
DEMANDS CLOSING
Of MANY SALOONS
Anti-Liquor League Alleges
''|IIegaI Acts" on Part of
" Excise Board.
SAYS. LICENSES ISSUED
WERE CONTRARY TO LAW
Supplies List of Barrooms and
Wholesale Houses Regarded as
Without Authority to Operate.

Formal demand upon the excise board
that it close approximately one-fourth
Of the liquor establishments in Wash
ington on the ground that they are
operating illegally under the Jones'
Works law was made today by the
Anti-Saloon League.
In long complaint filed with the ex-
else officials the league asks for the
closing of twenty-one barrooms and
flve wholesale houses on the ground
that they are located within 400 feet
Of a school or place of religious wor-
ship: fifty-seven barrooms and twenty
seven wholesale houses on the ground
that they are located in residential
or business sections, and eight
hotel bars on the ground that the
hotels have less than fifty rooms for
guests. The objections set forth, it is
insisted. constitute the existence of
each and every one of the establish
ments complained against violation
of the Jones-Works law.
Board Not Ready to Reply.
Preliminary consideration was given
the communication by the excise board
this morning, but none of the mem
bers would indicate what might be the
nature of the reply to be made to It,
Gen. Robert G. Smith, chairman of the
board, said that the matter would be
gone into thoroughly and that 1t might
be several days before the ooaro
would be ready to act.
A significant feature of the COM
plant was the serving of notice that
the establishments mentioned might
not be the only ones which the league
would protest against. Other places
may be added to the list, the comtnuih-
cation stated.
Throughout the communication there IL
evidence of studied avoidance OF the
term license" with reference to the estab-
lishments which the league desires to nave
closed The position of the league Is that
these places have not been licensed, as
there was no authority for licensing
them. The board is declared to have
committed illegal acts in permitting
these places to engage in the liquor busi-
ness.
Text of Leagues Communication.
The leagues communication to the ex-
else board was as follows:
"By direction of the Anti-Saloon League
of the District of Columbia, the following
statement and appeal are made to you:
when the board in 1913 adopted its
rules and regulations the league promptly
took exceptions to several provisions
therein as being contrary to the letter, as
well as the spirit, of the law. and urged
that they be modified. You refused. and
the rules and regulations were promul-
gated as originally adopted. Under and
by virtue of them you have issued licenses
and clubs located on non-buslness blocks
or in residential sections have barroom
licenses Wholesale liquor establishments
are doing business in non-business blocks
and in residential sections Hotels with
less than fifty bedrooms are enjoying bar
room privileges.
Prior to the hearings given on the
applications for renewal of licenses
for the current license year there was
submitted to you by the league Tor
your guidance certain reliable informa-
tion as to moro than hundred OF
them, the results Of careful investiga-
tions, inspections and measurements.
showing that the places for which
licenses were sought were in prohibit
ed localities.
Applications Opposed at Hearings.
Later at the hearings the league op-
posed all such applications. urging the
legal objections that the establish
ments were located in prohibited
religious worship, a public schoolhouse.
college or university, or on non
business block. or in residence sec
ton.
In most instances, for reasons best
known to the board. you ignored these
legal contentious and attempted to re-
new many licenses at prohibited places.
1.-The league also contested the re-
newal of licenses to certain hotels hay
ing less than fifty bedrooms for
k~t tall Il 1nft hp
legal objections urged against them,
based as believed upon the plain Ian
guage and intent of the law, and
granted them licenses.
After the beginning of the present
license year you permitted the Miller
Brothers to reopen their barroom, To-
Gated on the corner Of 14th and z
streets northwest. which made the
fourth barroom on street. against
the earnest pleas of the league. which
pleas were based upon legal grounds.
Report of Senate Committee Cited.
"The report of the special committee
of the United States Senate to investi-
gate the conduct of fhe excise board
sustained in every instance the con-
structions of the law urged before you
by the league. According to the find
ings of the committee. all of whom
were lawyers. you have granted many
licenses in violation of law, and that
many saloons and wholesale liquor es-
adjustments are now being operated
in the District under and by virtue of
licenses illegally granted. and there
fore void and of no legal effect what
ever.
Assuming that your aforesaid illegal
acts were not in willful violation OF
the law, and that if you become con-
vinced that mistakes in granting IL
censes were made by you. it. is hoped
and expected that you Will in such
cases hold that such licenses were is
sued under misapprehension of the
law, and that you will speedily cause
the holders Of such void licenses to
cease doing business hereunder by
such notice and acts that to you may
seem proper and effective for the pur-
pose.
Among the places which are operat-
ing under void licenses are the follow
ing. located within the prescribed limit
of houses Of religious worship, public
schoolhouses. colleges or universities,
according to measurements made by
the Anti-Saloon League, by the sur
yeyor of the District of Columbia and
by the police department:
Retail Places.
John j. Allen. s07 North Capitol
street; Michael Daily. 1919 7th street