Evening star., 1933-12-24
GOVERNMENT RUM
STORES FAVORED
Chairman King of District
Committee Sees Merit in
DiSpenSarieS.
Continued From First Page.)

governmental agency to handle those
liquors.
These expressions of opinion. coming
from three members of the committee
which will have the question in charge,
indicate that the forthcoming Senate
hearings in all probability will de-
velop a lively discussion Of various
methods OF control and distribution, as
possible alternatives for the private
license system called for in the bill
drafted at the District Building.
Informed last night of the high
lights of the private license system as
outlined in the revised draft Of the
bill being prepared at the District
Building, Senator King said that while
he would continue to keep an open
mind as to a final decision until after
the Senate hearings, he is giving serious
study to the plans being considered in
some OF the States, which would place
the distribution of hard liquor in the
hands of governmental agencies, ana
which draw distinction between hard
| liquors and beer and wine.
Studies Canadian Methods.
The Utah Senator also revealed he Is
not sure it would be advisable to au-
thorize sale of hard liquor in hotels and
restaurants, as contemplated in the
proposed local bill. In this connection
| he said:
II am giving some thought to the
methods adopted in Canada. In QUE
bee. for instance, you cannot get hard
| liquor at hotels. You can obtain wine
and beer with meals. but hard liquor
| must be obtained from the government
| stores.
Senator King said he is searching
for a plan that would avoid as far as
possible 1.-The evils of intemperance" and
| prevent abuses that might lead to re-
neWed sentiment for national pro-
hibition.
| THE evils under the old saloon sys-
/ tenn" the Senator said. were such that
we cannot contemplate their return
| He reiterated that he is more inter-
ested in temperance than in revenue
phases of the problem, and indicated he
was inclined to place beer and wine
in different category from hard liquor
as being less objectionable.
| Senator Couzens said the plan he
suggested follows in general the Micm-
gan law. under which State stores are
being set up for package distribution
| of liquor with the number of stores
| limited to one for each $4,000 of popu-
| lation. He said that under the Michl-
gan law the question OF granting
licenses to sell liquor for consumption
| off the premises is being left to the
| cities and other subdivisions for de-
cision. He said he outlined his ideas
on the subject TO one Of the District
Commissioners few days ago.
Favors Moderate Tax.
Senator McCarran, Democrat, OF Ne
vada also on the District Committee,
| said last night he would withhold COM
ment on the details of the revised local
| liquor bill until he has studied its pro.
visions The only view he has expressed
thus far is that the tax on liquor
| should be moderate.
Senator King said he is following
with interest the plan now being con-
| sidered by the Ohio Legislature, which
is essentially the State monopoly
method of distribution. He referred
particularly to the fact that such a
| plan eliminates the private profit
| factor.
Within the past few days the Gov
ernment dispensary method OF handling
hard liquor also found favor in Vir-
ginia. where the legislative commission
studying the problem recommended that
| the sale Of distilled liquors be handled
/ exclusively by State diSpenSarleS, IN
| sealed packages, for off-premiseS con-
sumption. Individual permits to buy
liquor would not be required, nor would
the purchaser have to give his name.
A buyer would be limited to one gallon
at a time Under the Virginia plan,
! hotels. restaurants. clubs, dining cars
and boats could serve beer and wines
for consumption on the premises.
Dispensary Plan Backed.
In this connection it was also re-
| called last night that in Connecticut,
one of the consistently wet States, splr-
ituous liquors can be sold only in pack
ages. Only the sale of wine and beer
is permitted in hotels, clubs, restaurants
and taverns.
During the hearings on the liquor
| control problem held by the Commits
sioners two weeks ago a number of wit
nesses advocated the Government dis
pensary plan of distribution here in
varying degrees. The Federation OF
Citizens Associations, for example, rec
commended municipal stores for pack
age sales. There was division OF opln-
ion in the federation over the question
of permitting sale by the glass in ho-
tells. restaurants. clubs, dining cars and
boats. BY a close vote the organiza-
ton voted to recommend that sale by
| the glass in the places mentioned be
permitted.
There were other witnesses who sug-
/ gested that all sales be confined to
package form at municipal dispensaries,
while still others opposed the Govern
ment going into the distribution busi-
! ness.