The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-30
WASHINGTON GOES
DRY" ON THURSDAY
VIII he Only Great Capital In world
where Prohibition Is
Effective.

Where Prohibition In
Effective.
Washington. Oct 2s.-At midnight
on Wednesday. the national capital will
become saiooniess and enter the abso-
lutte prohibition zone, making twenty
seven states and the District Of CO.
lumbia within which the sale of in
toxicants Is prohibited. Washington
will be the only great capital of the
world where prohibition is effective,
as even in Petrograd light wines are
now legally sold.
While the law enacted did not forbid
the Importation of intoxicants into the
District of Columbia, Indications are
that the national capital will be Writ
ualiy without any stimulants. Liquor
cannot be dispensed In clubs, under the
new law. but private individuals may
have 1t shipped to them for their own
use.
Before the next congress assemblies
Washington win have had more than a
month of prohibition, and In the next
session there will be concentrated
fght by opponents OF prohibition for
the passage of Il national prohibition
amendment TO the federal constitution.
No country in the world has under
gone more radical change than this
In reference to the use and nanufact-
ure of liquors since we entered the
war. The manufacture of whiskey has
been prohibited and the president has
authority to restrict the use OF grains
for the making OF beer If he deems IL
necessary.
Washington has been the home of
famous hostelries since the early days
of the government. The toddy was 81
daily part of life. and history records
that Ii was regularly used even by our
early supreme court justices This
practice wholly ceased among con-
siderable part of the political popula-
ton, but Washington is now to become
the center of a desert America.
Ends Custom of q Century,
After l09 years of heer-giving hos
pitality and. incidentally. a good share
OF the troubles it has brought to some
public men and their families, a good
share of whiskey and its lesser alcoholic
associates will depart so far as their
1egalized sale is concerned. AS the
funeral to John Barleycorn is coinci-
dent with Halloween. the obsequies are
expected to be memorable and fitting.
Additional police have been obtained
for the occasion. and some hotels. fear
In & a rtotous and uncomfortable crowd.
have already closed their hars. Many
places, however, intend to offer cabaret
SHOWS LOT ln0 Iafs'VSi1 ceremonies.
There Is no conceaiment of the fact
that organizations ana people in Wash
ington arc preparing for one last hap
-sevel--Some- clubs haye ARRANGED
programs. at which drinks that here
after ara TO be outlawed are put for
ward as funeral features. One club
will give a party to which each mem
Der will be entitled to b-ing one guest.
The member will pay tax Of IS, and,
in return. he and his friend may drink
of wine long and often. All the clubs
| that viii celebrate will have special
programs, and one has announced u
progressive drinker' night.
| AS saloonkeepers see no chance of
! again opening their bars In the near
future they are taking advantage of
the situation and charging exorbitant
prices for drinks. Beer went to 10
cents glass last week and win be
advanced to Is GEMS by some places
| for the remaining three days this week.
Whiskey last week sold for 90 cents 4
drink. and cocktails cost 90 and. IS
cents, and even more in few places.
/ severe Regulation of saloons.
| In spite OF the present strict excise
| law which makes Washington one Of
the best regulated cities in the coun-
try, with even clubs prohibited from
/ serving drinks 10 their members on
Sunday or after / o'clock A. NJ, pro-
hlbitfon was enacted as the result of
| the prohibition wave sweeping the
world since the war began Since 1913
! the saloons In Washington have operat-
! ed under a severe regulatory statute
| A single violation meant loss of license
| From the point of view of liquor
law the system here was declared 4
| be perfect.
! Congress took all this into considera-
| tion, but was unconditional In IT'S deci
| sion that the saloon must go. II was
| only a few years ago that open bars
were operated in the restaurants of
! he senate and the house, and Wash
! ington figured as noted drinking cen
! ter.
| AS many OF the people here are OF
+ the leisure class from other cities who
| spend their winter season in the cap
| ital, there has been great entertain
! ment with use of costly wines. While
/ wines may be served as private dinner
! parties, official dinners will be without
| them in the future. II is estimated by
the internal revenue experts that the
! yearly drink bill of the national capital
| is more than 5000, 900
With the closing Of the saloons in
! Washington will pass away a number
| of the most historic drinking places in
| the country. Relics OF the days Of
| fifty years ago are now being auctioned
! off" by their owners Some of these
relics in a Pennsylvania avenue place
have real historic value for their in
I innate connection with the statesmen
Of generations ago when drinking was
/ more fashionable.