The Washington times., 1916-02-14
FIGHT BEGUN TOKEEP.
SMITH OFF, BOARD.
Sheppard Says Wilson Wouldn't
Have Named Him II He Had
Known Facts.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


Senator Sheppard 10 tes.ify because the
latter had another engagement.
Senator Sheppard Ned with tire CONF
mittee a protest made mt the mass niee.-
Ing at Polls Theate- Yesterday under
the auspices OF the Anti-saioon iseaeue
against the confirmation OF General
Smith. This letter OF protest stated that
the bodies represented at that meeting
include the Pastors, Federation. the w.
9. T. u. the Christian Endeavor Union,
Epworth LeaEue Ministerial Auisncs.
asserted made the meeting rprINFcnta-
tive of half the population of Washing
ton.
Reads the Summary. 4t
Senator Sheppard then read irori the
summary Of tile committees report fol-
lowing its investigation OF the board.
senator Sheppard Suid nc had matted
a copy OF the report t. the President
before General Smith was reappolnted.
''Whcn I heard OF tho appointment"
no said. II was surprised and wrote
to the President and asked whether he
had read the report" lie replied ana
said that he had not. Probably his
failure TO do so was lacl: OF time. but l
am sure that II he had read IL he would
not have reappointed General smith.
You ask for specifications. We
HHCClII anu We ClNC CabNh NhNlU VIVA
tons OF the law were approved by the
Excise Board"
Senator sheppard then read that
clause OF teh excise law, which provides
that no license shall be granted a sa-
loon on a block where less than 30 per
cent OF the, frontage, mot including
saloons or hotels and clubs. having
barroom licenses under this section 10
used for business purposes"
He then read In contrast to this rule
OF the board which states. mo barron
license shall DO granted on side OF a
street where less than so per cent OF the
foot frontage between fIt,
interesting streets excluding the
part of buildings wherein bar room
licenses are held, Is used for business
purposes. provided, that this restric-
ton shall not apply to hotels and
clubs"
Senator Sheppard asserted that the
board had read the last phrase into
the law and that bar room licenses
had been given to hotels and clubs
where the hotels and clubs were the
only places of business on the square
where they were located.
Senator Phelan asked whether the
hotels or clubs referred to were really
In residential sections.
The Miller Brothers barroom at
and T. Streets northwest.
Senator Sheppard said. had been re-
fused license because u made the
In that block. whereas the
law permitted only three. He said \
on Fourteenth street had
been cut out and n door made there.
and the Il street entrance closed NJ.
Then that vas a technical compli-
ance with the law remarked sena-
II doubt IL It was even that" inter-
rupted Senator Jones. 1.-THE law does
not refer to entrances. but to saloons.
and that saloon Is still there"
Question By PhelaA.
Senator Phelan asked whether there
we're any other cases OF for saloons In
A single block on the 'same side of the
street a.,
THAT is epelonly avasion of that kind.
but there are trases whore the entrance
has been changed to get around the
requirement" replied Sena-
tor Jones.
Senator Sheppard said there were sew
cral Instances OF storm doors erected
TO evade the clause prohibiting saloons
within 400 feet OF churches or school
houses. He said in one case a fence had
been so erected that by measuring
around the fence the saloon was out
side the 400-foot zone. Small plots OF
ground and small parks had been con-
structed for the same purpose. he
Il contend that a board that would
grant a license after such fiimsy pre-
texts had been complied with, ought not
to be entrusted with enforcing the ex-
else law" he asserted.
That an employee who had been APP
pointed as an inspector had been en-
ployed by the board principally as a
stonographer. was another charge made
by Senator ShepDard.
The speaker was asked whether the
attention Of the board had been called
to these efforts to Violate the spirit
OF the law"
known about It, He added that all the
cases that had come up for relicensing
after the report had been Issued were
acted upon favorably.
Ignored Spirit, Charge.
81 have called your attention to
violations of the law" said
Senator Sheppard. "Now let me point
out how the board has ignored the
spirit OF the law. In the vicinity of
the Mckinley Manual Training
School are saloons more than 400
feet away from that school, but 80
located that hundreds OF children
from four schools in the vicinity pass
their doors every day"
Senator Sheppard cited the case of
the Grand Hotel and OF the Marks
Hotel which had bce ngranted IL
censes by the excise board and after
had them revoked by Government
action.
Mr. Wilson. when called to testify,
told OF Sunday inspection tour of a
group of Senator's. which included