Evening star., 1933-03-26
Thorough Revision Likely in
Subcommittee Before
Senate Acts.
DRAFTED
TO IRON OUT FLAWS
District Authorities Lacked Oppor-
tunity Until Last Minute to
Study Measure.

The District beer bill, which passed
the House last Thursday, probably will
receive final congressional approval be-
fore the end of this week, it was pre-
dicted last night, and be signed by the
President in time to permit sale of beer
in Washington on April 7, when the
national beer law becomes effective.
But before the Senate receives the
bill from the District Committee, 1t
probably will undergo a thorough re-
vision at the hands of the subcommit-
tee to which it has been referred for
study. Senator Tydings of Maryland is
chairman of this group.
In the opinion of some experts who
have examined the bill as it passed the
House, it contains inconsistencies and
contradictions and doubtful phraseology
that might make the measure incapable
of strict enforcement unless these i'm
perfections are ironed out.
Senator Tydings had before him yes
terday draft of substitute bill pre-
pared last week by Corporation Counsel
Bride and Vernon West, assistant cor
poration counsel, who also received the
advice of Rufus Lusk. legislative repre-
sentative of the Crusaders. Mr.. LuSk
has made study of the various beer
control measures now under considera-
ton in State Legislatures.
Mr.. Bride Mr.. West and Mr. LuSk
rushed their draft Of the beer bill into
form after session that lasted nearly
all Wednesday night, with the hope
Of completing 1t in time for considera-
ton by the House Thursday. But the
House leaders and those who had the
beer bill In chrge were unable or un-
willing to make the changes and the
House bill was passed without all OF
the reviSionS suggested.
Reference Not Made.
1t developed yesterday that although
it is customary for all District legisla-
ton to be referred to the Commission
ers and the law officers Of the munich
palty for thorough study and report,
such reference was not made formally
in the case of the beer bill. The re-
suit was that the local officials did not
have opportunity carefully to study or
prepare a report on the beer bill until
short time before the House. acting
under a special rule. passed it. The
local officials, who will be responsible
for enforcing the beer bill, have In the
short time available, therefore, under
taken to prepare for Senator Tydings'
Committee a more carefully drawn
measure that might be substituted in
part or in whole for the bill as 1t
passed the House. If this is not done
the major necessary changes in phrase
ology suggested by Corporation Counsel
Bride, acting for the Commissioners,
will doubtless be written into the
House bill by the legislative drafting
experts of the Senate
One difficulty with the bill as It
passed the House, it was pointed out
yesterday, is the fact that its sections
are not arranged in the usually logical
order as the topics discussed. II
the bill prepared by Mr.. Bride is not
substituted in its entirety for the
House bill, the House bill may have to
be rewritten almost from beginning to
end-provided. of course, the Senators
agree that the District building pro-
visions are essential and proper.
While the draft of the bill prepared
for the Senators by Mr.. Bride follows
in the main the policy. or fundamental
Continued on Page 4, Column s.