New-York tribune., 1919-12-27
Measure Patterned After
Defeated 3 Per Cent Bill
To Be Introduced Early
i'll January, 1t Is Said
Volstead Act Is Ignored
Saloons Would Be Prohib-
tied; Restaurants and
Stores to- Get Licenses

bill legalizing manufacture and
sale of ales and beers will be intro
duced soon after the New York State
Legislature convenes on January 7.
Informal discussions have been held
here on the proposed legislation, The
Tribune was informed yesterday. The
bill, said to have the support of legis-
lative leaders, will be patterned on the
per cent beer bill introduced at the
last session Of the Legislature by SEN
ator j. Henry Walters. majority leader.
The new bill will be pressed for
early passage, and those behind it pre-
dicted yesterday that it would be law
before January 16.
The proposed law would permit the
manufacture of beer and it's sale in
hotels, restaurants and clubs in first
and second class cities, villages and
towns. Like the Walters bill, the
measure will restrict the sale of
beer to restaurants with dining
rooms containing at leasr 600
square feet Of floor space and having
dining accommodations for at least
forty persons. But it will permit the
sale of beer to be taken home in gro
ceries and other stores where bars are
not maintained.
The only question left undecided is
the percentage of alcohol to be pre-
scrbed Some favor limiting it to
2.75, while others favor not specifying
alcoholic content.
Believe Beer Notwithstanding
"Those in favor of not naming the
alcoholic content in the BILL" said one
of its hackers yesterday. "hold with
Governor elect Edwards of New Jersey
that beer is not intoxicating.s Beers,
exclusive of the ales, have seldom been
in excess Of 413 per cent This, of
course, would be ignoring the section
of the Nolstead act which defines as
intoxicating any beverage containing
more than one-half of l per cent of
alcohol. But believe the Legislature
OF New York is as competent as Con-
gress to define what is Intoxicating"
The bill will impose fees for licenses
ranging from $50 to $3.50, depending on
the size of the municipality. The low
est fee also will cover the sale of beer
in groceries and other stores
The Walters 3 per cent beer bill was
ture by the New York City Retail
Liquor Dealers Associations This or
ganlzatlon, made up almost exclusively
of saloonkeepers, prevailed on .he Tam
many delegation to withdraw its sup
port, as it put the saloon out of ex-
istence by forbidding the sale Of
liquor in any place containing a bar.
Support Not Pledged This Year
II was one of the legislators who lis
tened to the saloon men at the last ses-
sion" said a Tammany lawmaker yes
terday. Then was bound by my
pledge to help them, as were my col
leagues, so we had to withdraw our
support. This year have refused to
bind myself. and l understand most of
the other New York City legisla tors
Republican and Democratic. have done
likewise"
The hackers of the proposed measure
declare that they have the votes to pass
the bill.
In an open letter to George A Glynn,
chairman of the Republican State Com
mittee, yesterday, William H. Anderson,
state superintendent of the AntiSaloon
League, asked:
"Do you think the support and cam
pagn funds you will receive from the
liquor interests will compensate the
loss to the state involved in allowing
the Federal government to get all of
the fines and forfeitures through re-
fusal to pass a law that will give the
state courts jurisdiction SO that at least
part of these can go to relieve the bur
den of state taxation -