Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-08
Northwestern NeDs
MUCH SPECULATION
OF SO-CALLED pool
HALL LEGISLATION
All Eyes at Capitol Turned Toward
Fight Between billiard Mems As
ISOLATION and Enforcement League.

DIAL -I a..
Bismarck, n. D., Jan. SIS it or
isn't 1t CONSTITUTIONAL: will it or will
it not be repealed; or will a happy
the forces of the State Enforcement
league and the Billiard Mems %associa-
ton who are waging Il lobby warfare
over the so-called pool hall act?
+ The executive committee of the
North Dakota Billiard Mems associa-
ton was due to arrive in Bismarck
today for a conference with refer
ence to the law which in 1919 created
the State Licensing department I'M
der the office Of the attorney general.
Billiard hall men of the state prefer
that their places be again placed un-
der inspection and regulation of the
towns or cities in which they are To-
Gated. Leaders of the North Dakota
Enforcement league say they are we'll
satisfied with the present law but ask
for more stringent penalties for law
violations.
Under the provisions Of the state
license department act thcaters and
taXicab stands in cities are called up
on to pay a fee of $50 per year while
in towns or villages the fee is $40 on
.theaters. and SIS on taxicab stands.
F. l.. Watkins, superintendent of the
Enforcement league is the author of
a bill amending the present statute in
(which theaters and movie houses
would pay a minimum fee Of $40 and
a fee Of 81 per hundred seating ca
pacity. This it is held furnishes an
equitable fee replacing the present
system which forces theater. men of
small incorporated cities like Crystal.
Aneta, and Steele. with populations
of less than 500 to pay the same fee
as theaters in Fargo. Grand Forks
and other populous centers. =
Watkins would also include in his
amended Law the licensing Of all
places where cigars and tobaccos are
sold. This is admittedly for the pur-
pose of placing what are now strictly
tobacco shops within the pale of the
penalties of the licensing act. This
that any violator' of any two laws
in the case of a pool hall, allowing
minors to enter his place, would suf-
fer revocation of license. and injunc-
ton closing the place of business. A
plea of guilt on a second ofense
would. under the Watkins amend
ment, call for the same drastic pen
atty.
The state licensing department
during the twenty months of its OPP
GRAFTON under the supervision of Will
liam LANCER, caused the arrest of ap-
proxinately $50 men for violation OF
the anti-cigarette law. 1t is con
servatively estimated that city and
county officials in various parts OF
the state arrested perhaps 500 more.
The status of the present law is
questioned. Nearly a year ago Judge
Frank Allen of Lisbon, held the pres,
ent law to be unconstitutional. A
pool hall man in his district was ar
rested for failing to obtain a license
under the law He obtained a writ OF
habeas corpus from Judge Allen on
the ground hat the law was uncon-
%stitutional in that it violated the
right of local self-government grant
ed to the various cities by the consti-
tuition. Judge Allen further held the
law unconstitutional in that it took
from, sheriffs created by the constitu-
ton their powers and lodged the
same with officials created by legisla-
tive enactment.