Evening star., 1933-12-29
LIQUOR SALES BAN
IS SET At 500 FEET.
Radius Specified in Measure
Approved by City Heads.
Tax Peak so Cents.
Continued From First Page)

Capitol before WeCtleSodS' hieIit hietH1 :. -
the House would not see IL un''i IL 10
p "I T believe the District liquor con-
troll law should be MODEL LOT lIie
Nation Certainly. it cannot oe mace
a model if it Is hastily conStoSteu,a ,
The fixing of the tax rate followed d
enries of conferences between District
or6cals and Treasury Department ON
rials including meeting yesterday De-
tween Acting Secretary of the Treasury
Noreenthau and Commissioner George
Allen who has supervised prepara-
ton of the proposed District liquor Jaw
District officials had held up their
recommendations on the license ices
and taxes to await determination py
Congress or the Federal administrator
ON what should be the Federal taxes on
the sale of alcoholic beverages. org
inallv the Commissioners inquired the
District sales tax on spirits Wouiu Have nav
to be Sl10 a gallon to MAINTAIN mere
the level established in Maryland.
commissioner Allen has declared
himself emphatically in favor Of keep
ing the sales taxes as low as possible
in order 10 prevent wholesale opera
tions by illicit dealers.
II was said the licensing OF hard
liquor in the District might be eX-
pected to produce revenues totalng
approximately s75O,0OO. This is con-
siderabiy less than earlier estimates.
based on a tax of Sll0 gallon, ana
on a rough estimate of what the total
consumption Of hard liquors might DC
each year.
In pre-prohib;tion DAYS in the Dis
trict revenues from the sale OF alco-
holic beverages amounted to about
Ill anna IL
cense fees only there being no sales
taxes in the old excise law. In those
oays there were 300 licensed bars. each
of which paid license fees OF $1,000
wear. Transfers Of licenses and other
conditions made up the remainder OF
the S550,000 revenue.
Dirksen Statement.
In a statement issued today Repre-
sentative Dirksen said:
The District liquor bill seems TO be
majestic bit of legislative carpentry.
without form, design or objective. II
the hidden purpose Of the 6ll! Is reVe-
nue., let me say that the minute re-
strictions imposed on legal liquor are
such that the bootlegger will secure
the bulk of the liquor business. II the
bill is designed TO bring about tenn
perance. l would remind the authors
that they have seemingly forgotten our
tragic IA years effort to bring ABOUT
temperance by legislative flat. This
bill is everything that a liquor Dali
should not be 49,,
First of all, it is too long. A bill
one-third as long should suffice. Sec
ond, it is too restrictive. 1t would
bring back official snooping' and place
a premium on the illegal sale of liquor.
t.T hn fart that fhIa
people Of Washington should have a
right to determine what they want II
this matter because other States per-
nit an expression through local OPP
ton. Thus far, however, only a small
and apparently dry minority has oeen
vocal on the matter OF liquor.
Picking out flaws at random, 1t oc-
ours to me that not more than two
members of the board should be OF
the same political party. Drug stores
might have a difficult time qualifying
for an on-Sale permit, Where orugS
rather than meals were the principal
business The authority invested in the
Control Board is too great and permits
no right of judicial appeal. To give
anv board power to completely restrict
Sunday and holiday sales simply means
more business for out-of-the-way road
houses and tavernS just outside the DIS
trict of Columbia line. If the board
decided that manufacturers Of pharma-
ceuticals such as Swamp Root Peruna,
or bitters, were using more alcohol than
necessary from the medical standpoint,
they would be empowered to dictate re-
visions Of formulas or place pan on
the sale Of such medicines.
Application to Clubs.
Suppose a bona-fde club, with a
membership embracing substantial cltl-
Zens of the District Of Columbia should
be organized after this bill was passed !;
it could secure no premise sale permit
under the provisions Of the bill. Stag
parties where no food was served couIo
serve no drinks, and even II 1000 were
served. that right is reserved to the dis
cretion of the board.
The bill is altogether too snoopy.
A proprietor Of more than one place
must secure the boards approval OF the
managers whom he selects to operate
the various places There is no time
limit on when remonStrances must be
heard and action taken. The board
could therefore delay action on an ap-
plication for a permit for an interml-
nable time Railroad stations, no mat
ter how properly conducted, could not
secure a license to sell liquors.
The restrictions on displays and
signs, advertising liquor, is bit childish.
If repeal is a fait accompn and 1t IS
legal to sell liquor, why. 1 ask, IS 1t
SO cardinal a sin to announce the TACT
to the public?
ANY one convicted of felony can
not secure a license. 1t gives the board
no discretion in the matter. Suppose
man was convicted of stealing horses 20
laic cnntpnpp and has
since become a useful member Of So
ciety. Is that a sound reason for
denying such a citizen license?
Great pains have been taken to see
that a brewer. distiller or rectifler or
manufacturer shall have no interest in
a retail establishment but as the bill
now stands it does not require con-
elusive proof on that point and snoopy
individuals might cause legitimate man
ufacturers no end of trouble.
"One of the most vicious features IS
section So, which reads as follows: II
one or more persons who are competent
witnesses shall charge on oath or af-
firmation before any judge of the Police
Court that any individual, partnership.
association or corporation has or have
or is violating the provisions OF this act
in manufacturing for sale. keeping for
sale or selling any beverage in violation
of this act. the Judge may issue search
warrant etc This section does
not even require reasonable cause and
by its terms it would be possible for a
few overzealous folks to constantly keep
q legitimate vendor of liquor in hot
water. Moreover, the complaint re-
ouires only one person. To say the
least, sUch a provision is positively dan
gerous to business liberty and the right