Evening star., 1933-12-01
Minimum of Interference Is
Pledged by Head of U. S.
Control Unit.
DIRECTOR SAYS INDUSTRY
TO PROTECT DRY STATES
Importations With Quota Based on
l9l0.19l4 Averages to Be Per.
mitted for Four Months.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, December IA policy
of self-rule for the liquor industry to
as great an extent as possible was voiced
today by Joseph H. Choate, jr., new
director of the Federal Alcohol Control
Administration.
In his first interview since his ap-
pointment Wednesday by President
Roosevelt. Choate declared the alcohol
administration would cause a minimum
of interference in establishment and
operation of the post-repeal liquor in
dustry.
The new liquor "czar" said he did
not expect anything in the way of a
repeal celebration explosion" and ex-
pressed the opinion that return of
liquor would result in a considerable
reform in the drinking habits of the
people,"
Choate, seated in his Wall Street law
office, smiled broadly at a barrage of
technical questions fired at him by
newspaper men.
Confesses Ignorance.
"You may as well know" he said
that you are dealing with a total
ignoramus. I don't know anything
more about this job than you do. l
have been In Washington just "a
hours and I am almost lost in the
complexities of the job.
In general, however, I want to say
that my appointment came without
warning, despite the fact I am a Re-
publican, and after I had expressed
my views on State regulation. I spent
all of Wednesday discussing matters
ington, and @ in all nH1 that time @ I never never
heard one word of politics mentioned"
Choate said that protection of dry
States would be attempted through the
liquor industry itself, under regulations
set up by the various code authorities.
THE general theory" he said, lis
that the F. A. c. A., will operate only
when the industries fail to function
themselves. The code gives the F. A.
C. A. the power to act, however, when
the control authorities established by
the industry do not act"
State Authority Recognized.
The attitude of the liquor admins
tration toward the various States, he
added, was that of the President
himself.
In this connection, he said, States
would be given full authority over
methods of sale, every effort would be
taken to eliminate bootlegging, and ef-
forts would be made to make available
pure liquor at reasonable prices while
avoiding production.
The liquor administration will at
tempt to do all those things to accom-
plish the purposes which the States
planned.
Nothing in the way of a policing
force is contemplated save a corps Of
tive office forces.
Nothing is to be done in the way of
dry agents If it can be helped" he said.
The industry will police itself as near
ly as possible, with the Alcohol Admin
istration acting only when necessary"
Sees New Habits.
Asked if he saw any great social
changes in the wake Of repeal, Choate
said he believed it was too early to
speak with authority, but added that he
looked for new drinking habits
There isn't any doubt in my mind"
he said, that there has been an i'm
mense pressure in the past toward
drinking and offering a drink, largely
due to the illicit nature of the circum-
stances.
1T has been a combination of a
small boys desire to do what is for
hidden, and the belief on the part of
the drinker that he might not get an
other drink very soon.
Repeal should do much to eliminate
hip TASKS and stop the practice of
treating"
Choate said he expected to return
to Washington next week.