Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-20
COURT WON'T AID
IN WAR ON FLASKS
Federal Attorney Hints
He Will Ask President
to Declare City dry
JUDGE OPPOSES MOVE

Inc lCenS2 court today refused III
quest of United states Dis,ric, A..
Kane that IL regulate tho sale n, 49,.
goods by saloonkeepcrs as an efroc,..
method Of wipng out "boo,Ievo,..a
through the sale of boozo 10 so,d,ons
sailors IN this city.
Judge Vessel, speaking for tbo oou..
emphasized that II could no, i,,no..
such restrictions on tho lioror dat.
since such action would he ,lIee,, =,
suggested that II the United staies g..
crument decided IT, tatc hama Il, a.,
matter and would issue an order doo,,.
ing dry zone system in forcs ,...
tho court could then sec to it tina, a..
order was enforced.
II was hntcd during the hear,, =.
day that Government au,bori,,a.
ho called upon to issu" such an ord.,
Judge Vessel referred 10 s,,ch =, - &
rs tho worst thing the Goverrr.,.
could do" ''"eh'
President MAY Act
That Government action may soo, L.
taken has been hinted for several a.
by District Attorney Kane. who hes /.
sisted that Washington autbori,i..
even President Wilson himself-bsd ~.
acquainted with the spread Of ,hoa,
Logging" in this city and had evnrasS',
their determination to wine /, n,,,
"cven if dry Philadelphia shall foI'
low"
Tho request of MIR Kane was mad. ,z
an effort to further control the sale =,
liquor to soldiers and sailors The Gov.
ernment'S fighting mon. he explainsa
are being supplied with liquor by "rpn'
uors" and "bootleggers," who buy from
in quantities of a hall
mint or more aud then sell It to sailor,
or soldiers. If the court made a ruling
or recommendation, Mr.. Kane urged
that retailers should not sell liouor
that was to he consumed off the prem.
ises, the "hootlegging" evil would bs
greatly hampered.
our jurisdiction Is statutory" Judss
Vessel said, In reply TO Mr.. Kane's re.
quest. We may make recommends.
tion, but how effective would 1t be? An
order would be cminently improper. II
is for the Government to make an order
similar to the one you suggest here and
then if the saloonkeepers do NOT comply
"
rOurt will then have something to base
It's action on. A man would be morally
unfit to hold license n he did not
with the Governments orders"
Mr.. Kane replied that the Government
could not make such an order, but Judge
Vessel called his attention to the recent
'heatless" Mondays when the fuel ad.
directed that all saloonkeep.
crs close on such Mondays
There were five saloonkeepers who did
not comply with this order, Judge wes- y
sci SAID. and they were summoned to
rourt today to explain why they did not.
This violation. however, was not suffl.
rient to warrant revocation of their
license. as there was so much doubt
about the question.
But that if similar order were made
next winter and was not obeyed then
here would he grounds for revoca.
ton. because there could be no doubt as
10 the authority of'the fuel administrator
10 close whatever places he deemed nee
assary TO be closed to further the Gov.
purpose.
Mr. Kane also suggested that whole
salers and bottlers keep a record Of
sales which would contain the name
and address of the purchaser and the
amount purchased. This suggestion
met with the same response from the
court.
Says Dealers Will Help.
John p. Connolly, City Solicitor and
counsel for Pennsylvania Bottlers Asso-
'lation and William w Roper, repre-.
Scnting the Retail Liquor Dealers Asso-
'iation. said that their clients were
'eady to cooperate in every way with
In .nyFnr - .,l,a aata
liquor to sailors and soldiers but they
agreed with the court that II would
Do useless to make recommendation.
md it was net within the jurisdiction
o make such an order as Mr.. Kane
'equested
Attorney David Wallersten. repre-
entng Fuel Administrator Lewis told
he court that he had asked the court
o summon five saloonkeepers who had
iolated the he ttless. Monday closing
rider, for such action to be taken as
he Judges thought proper under the
circumstances. Mr.. Wallerstein said M
emonstrance had been filed, as the fuel
administrator thought the reyoklns 'of
license might be too drastic measure
'hen there was SO much msunderstand'
ng about the closing order, and the
light of the administrators to make such
n order.
He directed the courts attention 70
nc case in particular. that of Edward
iallagher, of Eleventh street and Ris-
ng sun avenue. who violated the closing
rider. and when he was summoned 70
he fuel administrators office came In
n intoxicated condition. He, however,
made a promise to close his place on
he next Monday hut this promise was