Evening star., 1917-10-11

The National Capital viii have more
private barrooms November l than any
other city In the world. and there will ne
more LIQUORS and wines in the cellars
Of individual citizens than were ever
stocked in all the saloons and clubs In
Washington. In fact the city has al
ready made this record. but the reserve
supply is being added to every day un-
I'll the prohibition law actually goes
into effect in three weeks.
All this change Of moving the sa-
looms into the cellars of the citizens has
been accomplished within a few weeks.
although the work has been going on
3fgradually for about six months. Ihere
were two big factors at work causing
this stocking up in the homes-one was
| that the people have been anticipating
the ctty's going dry" and the other
was that they have been anticipating
increased war revenue taxes. 50 those
who could bought up practically all
they would want for year or more
early in the summer.
Another reason for mobiHzinE wet
reserve was u, avoid the Inconvenience
of ordering shipments from out OF toWn
after the prohibition law goes INTO et-
feet, the necessity Of making aftidavits,
etc.
Some Bars Already Closed.
Some of the hotels and clubs have
already closed up their bars. One OF
the prominent downtown hotels. that
IL famous for specially well cooked
3sod and which has large after-the-
ater patronage. was the first hotei Y"
take out its bar. This was done some
time ago and the dining room which
was adjacent was enlarged to occupy
the space of the barroom. The Pro-
prietor continued to serve liquors ana
wines to diners. In this way he has
gradually educated his patrons to eat
IN what was previously the bar. and
he has thus built up his table trade, so
that his guests for meals will more
than offset his losses by removal of the
bar.
n Another conparatively new hotel in
the downtown section has closed Its
bafroom, although maintaining ''serv-
ice bar" for guests. This has allowed
extensive remodeling to be made be-
fore November l, when all the hotels
SviIl be forced to close their bars and
there will be a demand for labor to
make changes, which demand may not
be able to be met
One of the popular family hotels on
Capitol Hill, much frequented by mem
bers of Congress, has also closed its
| bar and Is making changes in the cafe
to meet the requirements of the new
law.
The best known clubs in Washington
are selling out their supplies of wines
and liquors in case lots to member
Several of them have already closed
their bars. The one club in Washing
ton which has been known as keeping
the largest supply of rare old-vintage
wines and distilled liquors made an in
ventory of this stock and gave mem
bers an opportunity to buy the choicest
supply of liquors, wines and cordials
ever offered for quick sale in this city.
Into the homes of bankers, government
| odicials, the big business men from all
over the country who have come here
| to serve the government in war work
this rare supply has flowed Probably
at no time in the history of the country.
| even in the days when southern
"colonels" lived up to their time-mel-
lowed regulations for convivial hospi-
tality, has there been such boasting of
old stocks and rare yintages, and so