Evening star., 1933-11-13
SALES OF LIQUOR
I'm MANY STORES Of
DISTRICT PROPOSED
Representative Mary T. Nor
ton Would Keep Price Low
to Defeat BootIeggers.
FOPPoSES SALES TAX;
READY TO SPEED ACTION
Consults With Hague-Asks sug-
gestions Of House Committee.
Model Regulations Goal.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,
Stan Correspondent Of The Star

JERSEY CITY, N. j., November I3.-
Assurance that when Congress con-
venes, model liquor traffic control act
Ior the National Capital promptly will
De enacted. which win promote tenn
perance. was given today by Represent
ative Mary T. Norton, chairman of the
House District Committee.
Sne believes the best possible control
can De exercised through having many
licenses issued rather than few, which
would prevent political wire-pulline.
faVoritiSm and graft. She also would
have legal liquor sold In the same way
as bar Of soap, bottle of ginger ale,
OF bushel OF potatoes, or-in all sorts
OF stores, rather than in special saloons
under some new camouflaging name"
She Is opposed to a sales tax for local
revenue which, with the Federal excise
tax, would run up the price Of legal
liquor prohibitively and encourage
bootleggers and speakeasies. she
favors low license fee. allowing the
number issued to provide a greater
source OF revenue for the District.
To Confer With Bride.
Chairman Norton expects to confer
soon with Corporation Council Bride
regarding several legislative proposals
for liquor traffic control. She plans
then to submit these tentative pro-
posals by mail to all members Of the
House District Committee, asking them
to study the subject carefully, send
their ideas to her, and to return 70
their congressional duties prepared To
act expeditiously in reporting the liquor
control bill from the House District
Committee
. Mrs. Norton believes this legislation
should be the first order of business be-
fore the House. House Leader Joseph
and he will bring the District liquor
bill before the House at the earliest
possible moment.
Mrs. Norton says "the leaders in
Congress are determined that the Dem
ocratic party platform pledge to pre-
vent return Of the old corner saloo--
and to effect an actual promotion
temperance must be fulfilled.
Model Law Goal.
"I am very anxious to see the Districs
have model liquor control law which
can be used as a guide and model for
the States. That Is one reason why the
District act should be passed as soon
people in the National Capital should
ACb NC NAAfCAA W 1lC4SAlLQktlAH 0b4bEa 10
make their liquor purchases.
THE District government should be
allowed to collect the revenue from NQ-
uor sale as early as possible. In ali TIE
States the control legislation offers quite
problem, and We in Congress shouJd
help all we can by writing into the Dis
trict law the model features that might
help in the various States"
Chairman Norton has consulted wAth
Mayor Hague of Jersey City, the ma
tional committeeman from New Jersey.
who Is drafting control legislation for
that State, and has asked House DIS
tr1ct Committee members to consult
with leaders in their home States, so
tnat the best views on the subject from
all the States may be presented to, the
District Committee at its first meeting
Mrs Norton is confident that the House
District Committee will agree promptly
upon good bill for the District.
Wants Open Buys. -
st think liquor should not be taxed
much more than 1t was in pre-prohibi-
tion days." declared Mrs Norton. The
evils OF prohibition years cannot be
undone II by pyramiding the price Of
legal liquor you invite and encourage
the moonshiner, bootlegger, racketeer
and dive keeper to continue reapine
a rich harvest. I am absolutely op-
posed to high tax. either Federal,
State or municipal, and certainly there
Is no need for one In the National
Capital
81 am much concerned that the sz.s
Of liquor should be tLEown wide open
and brought out in the open. I am
absolutely opposed to the saloon as it
was In the pre-prohibitSon days, and to
see that there is no graft possible in
the issuance Of licenses to few politi-
cal favorites. Licenses should be Is
sued to all responsible persons of good
moral character who conduct their
business honorably no matter what line
Of business 1t may be-So long as they
are willing to pay reasonable fee."
Chairman Norton has been making
an extensive study of the subject and
mas been seeking the best possible ad-
Vice. She hopes soon to have several
tentative bills ready soon to be SUBJ
mitted by mail to other members of the
House District Committed