Evening star., 1932-06-19
BR|T0NS MAY HAVE
, ti'
!. FAIR SPEAKEAS|ES
. tr
Flying Passengers Want
Same Rights as Those
Travelling by Rail.

LONDON. June 18-The anomalies
Of Britains wartime enacted liquor
restrictions, still operative, not only are
held by the mass of consumers to be
responsible for widespread efforts to
beat the law On land, but may lead to
the existence Of Speakeasles III the air
In the near future.
It has recently been held that con-
suming hours on terra f1rma hold good
In the air above the British Isles until
the three-mile limit has been passed.
Not many air passengers agree with this
view. which they say is based on the
old idea that a man who owns piece
sof land enjoys sole rights to the air
above it to the dome CT heaven itself,
and that the government is assuming
that the Kings writ runs in all that
exists above the British Isles to the
.three-mile limit.
Unless an air passenger takes his own
hip flask he must go dry until outside
the three-mile limit if tie pubs below
are closed. Those who make an early
morning start for the Continent espe-
cially when conditions threaten to be-
come "bumpy," are irked at the idea
Of nothing to drink until the three-mile
limit is passed. 1t Is asserted that one
or two shots of brandy at the outset
might avoid discomfort or airsickneSs.
Different on Trains.
The person who travels on train
which is equipped with a dining or
buffet car is abe to obtain alcoholic
refreshments from the moment it steams
out of the station that is its starting
point until it pulls up at its destination.
1t is possible also for passenger on
a river steamer to obtain drink as
'soon as it puts off from shore, even if a
pub hundred Yards away must observe
average about eight hours day in most
parts of the country.
1t is contended by companies oper-
ating long distance bus lines that the
big vehicles used in this traffic. almost
as commodious as railroad carriages,
which often do Journeys of from 100
to 200 miles. should enjoy the same
latitude as the railroads in respect Of
the sale of beverages BY pressing this
point of view there will have to be
some examination of the laws anoma-
lies, although the present national
government is anxious to keep as far
away from the booze problem as it can
It has already had to refuse to lower
the taxation of beer because Chancel-
lor Neville Chamberlain says there is
no surplus money in the treasury till
1t has sidestepped the recommendation
made by the Royal Commission on Lii
censing. which advised a Strengthening
out of the anomalies in the matter of
hours.
A knOtty Problem.
But this is particularly knotty as
pect OF the problem. Some districts
favor earlier opening hours than others.
There are streets in London and other
cities where an extra hours conSump-
tion can be had BY simply crossing the
street, for one side may be in a bor-
ough with early opening hours and the
other III borough where there is an
extra hours drinking at night
It is recognized by all the unbiased
that considerable proportion of the
1900 or more clubs which have been
founded in the country since the war
represent efforts to beat the law and its
anomalies. and also to obtain cheaper
liquor, for prices below what is charged
in pubs are possible when stocks are
purchased in bulk.
These clubs have varying charges for
Initiation fees and annual dues In the
working class districts the entrance fee
Is often 25 cents and the yearly dues
60 or 70 cents. In the financial district
OF LONDON there are a number of these
clubs membership Of which entitle the
individual to drinks at any time
throughout the day from 10 80 until 5
or pm.
Any one who gave a bit of study to
the existing anomalies of the licensing
law could drink his way almost around
the clock in the British metropolis.
(Copyright, 1922
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