The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-03-15
AID. Lodge Will Try To
Put Ordinance
Through
IN COMMITTEE
TWO YEARS
S0lon May Use Church.
i'll Case To Force
Action

Aid. John G. Lodge. OF the First
ward. win make another attempt to
have the common council pass IN
ordinance reducing the number Of
saloons In Detroit from 1871 to s31.
in compliance with the provisions OF
the Warner-Cramton law, which al
lows one saloon for every 500 inhab-
itants according to the figures of the
last official census. which was made
In 1910.
The Lodge ordinance Is now be-
fore the liquor committee. where It
has been since It's introduction In
the council couple of years ago.
The First ward alderman declares
that In trying to revive the proposed
measure, which. II passed. would put
440 saloons cut of business, he Is not
actuated by any motive of personal
hostility against the saloonkeepers.
Rather, he insists that the passage
OF the ordinance will work Tor the
benefit Of the saloon business in Do
troit. from the standpoint of the man
behind the polished bar.
The WarnerACrampton law says
that no new liquor license can be
granted until the number Of saloons
has been reduced to a ratio of one
to every 500 Inhabitants. Conse-
quently. no new licenses are suppos-
ed to be granted to take the place
of those eliminated by the action Of
the council or by voluntary surrend-
er on the part Of the license holder.
Since tho supreme court held that,
under the law, the death Of the H.
censee must be regarded as a volun-
tary surrender of the license, there
10 no way In which a 'saloonkeeper
can protect his business.
Aid. Lodge cites the case Of
Charles Churchill, Woodward-ave.
cafe proprietor, who died recently.
His cafe at No. 1853 Woodward-ave.
Is sone OF the best known and best
conducted IN the city. His relatives
are now besieging Aid. Lodge for
permission to continue the cafe at
that location. The business repre-
sents an investment Of many thou
sands of dollars. Aid. Lodge has
stated repeatedly that he will not
allow any saloon licenses transfer
in the First ward. This attitude OF
Aid Lodge. and also>of his colleague,
Aid. Owen, has boosted the value OF
First ward saloon licenses until now
they are worth anywhere from $4,000
to $4,000 and hard to get.
Theoretically, Churchill's place
goes out Of business on May ], as
does the bar in Richter's hotel, Otto
Hunrath, the proprietor. having died
during the license year. II Is not
likely that Aid. Vernon and Aid. Bur
ton will oppose q transfer Of II
cense to Richter's, which II in tha
Second ward. It will be necessary
for the estate Of the deceased to pur-
chase q license for a couple of thou
sand dollars and have 1t transferred
to tho old location.
But In the case OF Churchills cafe,
Il will not be % easy to secure and
transfer another license, because OF
the attitude of the aldermen Of the
ward.
why wouldn't II be better for the
council to pass the proper ordinance.
reducing the saloons to the legal
number!" asks Aid. Lodge in answer
TO the question as to what he In
tends to do in reference to Church
ill's place.
"Thsn Il would be easy to take
care Of cases like that OF the
Churchill cafe, because the council
ocuId grant new licenses up to 931
and no questions asked. II would
really be . good thing for the So
loonkeeper and also a good thing for
the city The reduction Of tho So
looms IN this manner would be the
best argument the saloonkeepers
could have against prohibition. II
would sort Of elevate the business
and the poorer class Of saloons
would be weeded out
There is Q possibility that Aid.
Lodge will use the Churchill applica-
tion AZ club to urge the passage Of
his ordinance.
The new liquor committee has
gone ON record a. opposed to grant
ing q single license where the IL
<cusn has diod durin9 tha year
'I will refuse to align the commit
tee report, and will oppose the pas
sase Of the report on the floor OF the
common council II any attempt Is
made 20 take care Of dead licenses
(oS0s1nss1 - Psse MIGHTY
The proof Of the pudding is the
eating-likewise the Hotel Griswold
MONDAY lunch. 50c.--Adv.
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