The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-05-01
Not Possible to Make
Complete Cleanup,
Says Chairman
ADMITS PRESSURE
HAS BIG EFFECT
Declares S0lons Must
Hearken Somewhat to
Political Friends

eral OF the more notorious down
town cafes that cater to women OF
the street Will have a good moral ef.
feet on the other places that have
been none too careful In the selec.
ton OF their trade" said Aid. Harry
J. Dingeman. chairman OF the liquor
committee. Friday morning.
I'VE are being criticised In some
quarters for not putting a large mum
Der OF saloons out OF business. II
is easier TO eliminate bunch OF
smaller places than II is to wipe out
a few real tester spots.
Il admit that there are other cafes
In the downtown district that ought
TO have been put out OF business.
but Il 10 an impossible task to make
a complete cleanup. The average
citizen had no idea OF the wires that
are pulled by saloon and cafe keep
ers. Tremendous pressure is brought
TO bear on the individual members
OF the committee. Every alderman
has his political alliances. He has
got TO be subservient TO these ALI
snces TO a certain degree. No man
In the common council. no matter
how clean and upright he is. can
deny that his actions are swayed
more or less by his political friends.
Reformers cry out that we are pup
pets. Let any one OF these men sit
In the council and they win dance
10 the same tune with the rest
For that reason say IL is diffi-
cult to do the things one would like
TO In committee work. Each member
has his own views and his own rea.
sons for holding those views. For
three days before thee adoption OF
our hquor repor1 I was in constant
fear that the report would be kicked
over, the pressure from various quar-
ties was getting that strong.
Cafes like Rivard's. Frazer's. La.
oadie's and Kane's, against whom
we had reports. but who were allow
ed new licenses. will cast on the un.
desirable trade. These proprietors
and others realize that they had
close calls They saw some OF the
downtown cafes 60 by the board.
They know that II they do not
change the character OF their places
and keep them straight they will not
have a ghost OF show OF getting
licenses next year. They know that
the newspapers will be watching
them, and. II they do not improve,
the aldermen will be prodded to
eliminate them. Rivard has already
closed his cafe. and he says II is TO
stay closed Frazer wants to move
to another location and run a saloon
minus the cafe. understand that
Kane will also close his cafe. La.
badie knows that he will never get
another chance unless he cleans up
his place. During the coming year
the police will keep q close tab on
all cafes"
Chairman Dingeman complained
that the police reports against a
OF saloons were not convinc-
ing enough. He said that many OF
the reports were based on rumor.
One saloon on the east side was
denied a license because the pro-
prietor refused to hand out the cam.
paign cards OF o certain alderman.
The committee hinged its action on
the fact that the sale Of the license
had passed through an aliens hands.
The last purchaser OF the license lost
$1,000 40 q result OF the denial. The
man that the alderman was out to
get" succeeded In drawing his
money out Of the place.
II is>known that q prominent
saloonkeeper who was
grilled by the committee and had
reason to think his license was In
danger. attempted to approach
OF the committee with an
OFFER OF $1,000. This was after the
had stated that the com.
mittee would likely deny the license.
In fact. the license had been passed
on favorably by the committee sen
eral days before. The saloonkeeper
was informed that bis present" was
not wanted. and, further. that his
action would do him more harm
than good. An unsuccessful attempt
Was later made to reopen the un-
signed report OF the committee and
knock out the license. but the com
mittee voted II down.
Frantic efforts were made Wed
nesdsy night to save the Baldwin
hotel, the proprietor OF which is q
relative OF a prominent Detroit poll
tician. The telephone wires were
kept busy all night In his behalf.
but the committee stood by its &C
lion. Attorney Allan p. Cox. repre-.
sentine liquor interests. made a last
effort to safe Matter oriich just be-
fore the report was signed, but his
request was ignored.
There are stiil too many saloons
In Detroit" admitted Aid. Dingeman.
Once, the number IL reduced to one
In every 500 population. then II will
be easy for the committee 10 do It's
work because the aldermen will be