The Washington times., 1916-02-17
GEN. SMITH DENIES
ALL DRYS' CHARGES
4
,taIrman Of Excise Board De-
tends Himself As Senate
Hearing Closes.
tcontInued from FIrst Page.l

CONTINUED from First Page.)
tember, 1913, devoted weeks of
cere and thoughtful study to the ne
yisions Of the law. some OF which
hs board, he said, tried earnestly
20 ascertain the spirit OF the law and
determine how Congress wished i
atwo extreme factions and les task
was most difficult"
He referred to the gossip which in
dicated collusion between the. mem
ssyinS % q the he board members @ % feit this
"unjust stigma most keenly." He ex-
pressed gratincation over the exon
GRAFTON OF the board members OF this
charge by the Senate investigating
In determining the spirit of the
law, General Smith said the board did
not believe Congress wanted to de-
prive the keeper Of hotel with forty.
nine rooms OF q license because the
law prohibited the granting of the
privilege to the keeper Of hfty room
Concernins the metropolitan and
other club cases General Smith says:
On Metropolitan Club.
Paragraph 2 of the Excise Law re-
Quires the board to make such rules and
regulations for carrying into effect this
section as 1t shall deem requisite and
proper The board has attempted un-
der that authority to give consideration
to what 1t thinks was the intention or
Congress when It enacted tho present
law. Although Congress did not spec
ify that paragraph 2. subsection
ESsise fS B"aad tS Is s honest o 3udsment did
not believe that 1t was intended to ex-
clude such clubs as the metropolitan.
Army and Navy, University and Com
mercial. or hotels such as the Gordon
''fn the absence OF specific words per-
mitting the licensing of hotels and
clubs outside of the business districts.
that Congress intended to make a dis
ti1ction between barroom as sucn
d barroom license held by hotels
d clubs.
All Need Licenses.
Paragraph provides. among other
!ngs. that, a barroom licensg shall be
luired for every hotel, ta/ern. club.
other place. etc. and 'th<re shall not
granted licegses 20 more than
onty.fiye clubs. incluZng those now
anted.'
Congress has seSa fit to permit tho
uance Of barrofm licenses In hotels
Ieges; in fact. Notel and club IL
ICES can De lb8ueQ unutT the INV
ragraph 2. subsection y in buildings
'mediately adjoining churSSes. schools
colleges.
Can 1t be seriously contended that
ngress intended to permit the IL
ising of these hotels and clubs od-
ning schools. churches. and colleges
I yet preclude the licensing of such
titutions (hotels and clubs) in any
idenee portion Of the District of Co
lbiar t.t'. 81 9
Call Judgment Harsh.
In Sec. 20 the committee complains
In allowing minors to enter groe
stores wherein Intoxicating iiquoi
old at wholesale. though they be MOI
lived to enter the place within thai
store where such liquors are sold, tn,
board acted contrary to the expressed
provision and real intent of the excise
.y.. ard believes tina
aa ent. In studying
'Hs. p the intention o.
'' particular par
Board concluded
''H cant to preven
their mother
Iquor ls sold only In sealed packages.
Section 8 OF the report finds fauI
with the excise board for allowing 20
barrooms to exist in the District of Co
lumbia. The excise board respectfulll
submits that It has violated no provls
ion OF the law In so doing. The bourt
does not believe that there must be 70
6arrooms In the District of Columbia
But 1t Is OF the - lat II is con
trary n"'' nor the spiri
)oms to exis
-0a W, provide'
4. III . d.
"" tss. -sa -5-1916 an
'.|a .-.ver /. 1915, there wer
locations for barroom licenses
The board has issued so far 272 barroor
licenses. and there are pending two ap
plications, made since November l.
In section 4 the committee censure
the board for allowing what It term
double-bars to exist in two barrooml
The law reads Par. 1D: Nor shall an
barroom licenses establish more than on
bar under his license, and the sale O
dispensing OF liquors except in case o
hotels, restaurants and clubs. shall b
confined to the room In which sair ba
10 located The board inspected the tw
barrooms mentioned by the committed
prior to granting licenses therein 10
1s14-191b, and satisfied itself that the LAY
was not being violated.
Sec. 8 of the committees report crit
cizes the board for doing what It ha
a perfect right to do The law cor
fers upon the board the power to gran
extra entrances to barrooms. In doin
so. the Excise Board has acted sstrictl
according to the provision of the law re
from the annual report of the boar
for the year ending June 30, 1914. whic
shows that OF thirty-nine written rt
quests for permission to maintain extr
entrances. thirty-eight were granite
and one refused.
Regarding Limit Charge.
Referring to changes made In II
fire limits. the committee reports;
Between the time OF the passage {
the laU MIA rNh A
was to go into effect July /, 1881 tn
Commissioners OF the District of CC
lumbia so changed the fire limits as I
bring two saloons from prohibited tel
Iitory into licensed territory. and III