Evening star., 1933-12-22
Approved Control Principles.

No LIQUOR control regulations could be
written which did not arouse some con-
troversy either from those whose selfish
interests may be affected or from those
who hold honest differences of opinion
In the case of the proposed regula-
tons for the District Of Columbia there
are certain points upon which there
appears to be no difference of opinion
and which with such general backing
of public sentiment, should be carried
into the final legislation. Some of these
points may be outlined as follows:
l. None of the members or employees
of the proposed board of control shall
have any direct or indirect interest in
the business to be regulated.
2. No manufacturer or distiller shall
have any financial interest IN the busi-
ness or the place of business or in the
equipment or furnishings of the whole
saler or retailer, and no wholesaler shall
have any such interest in the business
or place of business of the retailer. This
generally stated principle is aimed to
prevent the recognized evils of brewery
or distillery control over the wholesale
and retail sale Of beer and liquor,
g. The applicant for a license must
be of good moral character" and a
citizen Of the United States who has
never been convicted of a felony.
(The New York beer law. framework
for the temporary liquor regulations, is
so strict on this point that licensees and
their employees are fingerprinted to pre-
vent the employment of persons with
criminal records. The advisability of
including such precautions in the local
regulations mighv be appropriately con-
sidered)
4. The control board has the power
TO revoke or suspend licenses, and upon
such action by the board-if upheld by
the Commissioners-the licensees place
of business is closed pending review by
the courts, if appeal to the courts is
taken. This places the burden of proof
upon the Hcensee, and is generally re-
garded as preferable to the system which
would delay revocation or suspension
of license pending review by the courts.
There will doubtless be discussion of the
question whether actions of the control
board will be renewable by the Com
ulisSioners, but it seems to be agreed
that the licensing authority should have
power to revoke licenses and close places
of business before, and not after, court
review of the issue involved.
5. Sale of liquor to minors is pro-
hibited, and sale Of beer to persons
under l0 years Of age is prohibited.
Such prohibitions are unqualified.
Sale of liquor to intoxicated persons
or to those of ''notoriously Incorporate
habits" is prohibited. While it may be
difficult to prevent the sale of liquor
to sober person of 'notoriously intem-
perate habits" without an edict, clearly
defining such persons, the principle is
probably sound and would doubtless
serve to protect the dealer in his re-
fusal to sell under certain circum-
ing the treating" custom is placed upon
the licensee.
6. Either by regulations of the control
authority or by the act itself, certain
areas in the vicinity of churches and
schools should be closed to sales of
liquor. This protection of schools could
consistently be extended to public
Libraries, supplements of the public edu-
cational system, where young and old
congregate.
7. Drinking on the street, in alleys, in
the parks or other public reservations
and in street cars and automobiles is
prohibited, along with drunkenness in
such places.
On some of these points the only
honest differences of opinion SO far ex-
pressed relate to the manner and de-
gree Of application. AS principles, they
have practically unanimous support.