The Detroit times., 1916-03-16
AID. Lodge Will Try To
Put Ordinance
Through
IN COMMITTEE
TWO YEARS
Scion May Use Church
i'll Case To Force
Action


ward. will make another attempt to
have the common council pass an
ordinance reducing the number of
ealoons in Detroit from 1871 to 9S1.
In compliance with the provisions OF
the warner-C ramton law, which al.
lows one saloon for every 500 inhao.
itants according to the figures Of the
last oficial census. which was made
In 1911
The Lodge ordinance is now be-
fore the liquor committee. where It
has been since it's introduction In
the council a couple of years ago.
The First ward alderman declares
that in trying to revive the proposed
measure, which. II passed, would put
40 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 for the
benefit Of the saloon business In De-
troit. from the standpoint of the man
behind the polished bar.
The Warner-Crampton law says
that 10 new liquor license can be
granted until the mum Der 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 the supreme court held that,
under the law. the death OF the H.
censee must be regarded as volun.
tary surrender Of the license, there
Is no way In which saloonkeeper
can protect his business.
Aid. Lodge cites the case Of
Charles Churchill, Woodward-ave.
cafe proprietor, who died recently.
His cafe at No. I5s Wood ward-ave.
is one of the best known and best
conducted m the city. His relstivos
are now besiegins 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 DOW
they are worth anywhere from $5,606
to $4,000 and hard to get.
Theoretically. Churchill's place
goes out OF business on May 1. 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 IL
ccnse to Richter's, which is in the
Second ward. II will be necessary
for the estate OF the deceased to pur-
chase n license for couple of thou
sand dollars and have II transferred
TO the old location.
But In the case of Churchilrs cafe,
Il will not be so 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
Ills place.
Then IL would be easy to take
care of cases like that of the
Churchill cafe, because the council
could grant new licenses up to 931
and no questions asked. II would
really be a good thing for the sa-
loonkeeper and also . good thing for
the city. The reduction Of tho ga.
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
WOulu OS WtcOCO Out-
There II q possibility that Aid.
Lodge will use the Churchill applica.
ton AZ q club to urge the passage OF
his ordinance.
The new liquor committee has
gone on record 40 opposed to grant
Ing q single license where the IL
cense has died during the year.
II will refuse to sign the commit
tee report, md I will oppose the pas
sage Of the report on the floor OF the
common council II any attempt II
made TO take care Of dead licenses
said Aid. Maurice J. Heating. mem.
Der Of the committee.
This In my third year on the COM
mittee and know what the commit.
tee 10 up against in trying TO take
care of relatives Of dead saloonkeep-
ers. What happened two years ago?
We thought we took care Of several
needy widows. We later learned
that these women had to pay severa!
thousand dollars to the men who
took out the licenses for them, and
some never got q pcnny's revenue
out Of them. understand that rs
saloonkeepers have died since last
May. That means . reduction OF
~ itlt 80 4 80. IA, 81 4l