Evening star., 1933-03-29
BRIDE IS DEFENDED
ON BREWER CHARGE.
Representative Norton Says
Great Injustice Done Him
by Loring Black.

Representative Mary r. Norton. chair
man of the House District Committee,
issued q statement late yesterday in de-
fense Of Corporation Counsel William
w. Bride, whom Representative Black
of New York had charged with being
Influenced by brewers in connection with
amendments he proposed to the District
beer bill
IAN article in today's press has come
to my attention" Mrs. Norton said,
wherein Representative Loring Black,
in commenting upon the District beer
bill, has referred to Corporation Coun-
sci Bride as the apparent brewers tool.
In Almost Daily Contact.
my service on the District Of Co.
Mmbia Committee of the House Of Rep
resentatives during the past five years
and particularly during the past two
years as chairman OF that same COM
mittee has brought me into almost daily
contact officially with Mr.. Bride. His
services have proved most helpful, not
only to the committee. but in my own
opinion to residents Of the District Of
Columbia As result, have acquired
the conviction that his sincerity Of pur-
pose and integrity are beyond question.
Il consider Mr. Black one of the
ableSt members of the District Commit
tee. 1 regard him further as one of
the most fair-minded men in Congress.
1 cannot believe. therefore, that he has
been correctly quoted in the above
mentioned article.
The facts in connection with this
beer bill matter are as follows: At the
time when the District beer bill was
XAl - trir
mittee, I was confined to my apartment
due to illness. Having the utmost con-
fidence in Mr.. Bride, I called him and
which could be submitted to the COM
mittee for its consideration. Such q
statement was furnished promptly and
I passed it on to the committee.
The bill was considered and report
ed and the amendments that were
finally adopted came from the Office Of
the legislative counsel Of the House and
not, as reported. from Mr.. Brides office
These amendments received careful and
attention by the full men,
bership of the House. and few were
adopted after considerable debate. all
Of which is available in the Congress
sional Record.
Carefully Examined Bill
II have examined with care the bill
which Mr.. Bride submitted to Senator
and find that 1t contains q
provision definitely precluding the issu-
ance Of licenses to brewers to sell di-
rectly to- consumers. Under the cir
I am compelled to believe
that Mr.. Black. whose value as COM
mittee member I am happy to acknowl-
edge, must have been miSQuOted.
Il know that Mr.. Black would not
injure Mr.. Bride. He has
always been in perfect accord with me
in my estimate of the present corpora
ton counsel's integrity, ability and
genuine desire to be of service to the
residents of the District of Columbia.
In fact. l recall that at the conclusion
Of our years work, Mr Black sponsored
a committee resolution in appreciation
Of Mr. Brides services. This resolution
was unanimously adopted
Il might add. that l would be the
first person to condemn Mr.. Bride If
I thought that the charges were we'll
founded or true. 1t is because 1 am
absolutely convinced that great in
justice has been done to him person.
ally that I authorize this statement
and hope that it will be given full
publicity"
Cites Conference.
Representative Black explained today
that his attack on Corporation Counsel
Bride was occasioned by the presence
at a conference in Brides office last
week of two brewers representatives..
Il do not propose to engage in
with Mr.. Bride" Mr. Black
said. but he has not yet answered a
question as to why representatives of
the brewers attended a conference at
his Office while amendments to the Dis
trict beer bill were under discussion.
There were two brewers represent
atives at this conference. OF course,
they may have crashed the gate, but it
seems strange that these men would
be allowed to remain at a conference
where public business was being dis
cussed privately.
Some one must have invited them
10 this conference. Otherwise they
would not have known the time and
the place it was to be held
Mr.. Bride was not present at this
but it was held in his Office.
Those present, in addition to the
brewers agents. were Vernon West,
principal assistant Corporation Counsel:
fIu1uS LuSk Oh tne CruSdOerS, WnOm
had asked to cooperate in drafting
the bill; Representative Palmisano and
myself.
Objection Ignored.
when I reached the conference. 1
was shown the draft of bill with the
suggested changes penciled in. One of
them would have permitted the direct
sale of beer by brewers to consumers.
announced at that time that couldn't
agree to any such change in policy; that
had only been authorized by Mrs.
Norton to accept for the committee
changes in phraseology.
When the bill was called up in the
House I was greatly surprised to find a
typewriter draft of the proposed
to which had objected.
IF the brewers were interested in
The legislation the time and place for
them to have voiced their views was
before the District Committee when the
nearing was held on the beer bill. The
corporation counsels Office was not the
place, especially after the bill had been
'eported to the House.
Mr.. Bride has not yet satisfactorily
explained the presence of the brewers
representatives at that conference. If
ne makes Sllch an ey1la nation u,ill