The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-03
Chance of Dry Victory Is
Seen in Reaction, as
Result of Strife.
N. Y. SITUATION TANGLED
Governor Appeals to State
for Aid Against
Legislature.


The paradox OF earnest vets bat
Ting to impose strict limits on the
sale Of beer threw prospects for
consumption of legal brew into con-
fusion in many states, especially in
the wet east, today as the nation
approached the end of a federal
aridity.
With only three days remaining
after today before 80 per cent beer
may be sold freely as far as fed
eral law goes, a survey by the
United Press indicated that resi-
dents of twenty-three states, in
Guiding 619 per cent of the nations
population. would be permitted le-
galy to drink the brew at 1901 a.
m. Friday.
There remained a strong posi-
bility, however, that in New York
and other states special restrictions
mighty be imposed, pending state
laws to regulate the sale.
Fear for Repeal
The concern of the vets was based
primarily upon the fear that abuse
of the beer selling and consuming
privilege would lead to a reaction
against alcoholic drinks, in border
line states, and thus might prevent
ratification of the repeal of the
eighteenth amendment.
This situation reached its height
in New York, where Governor Her
bert Lehman appealed to the peo-
pie Sunday night for aid against a
legislature in which heretofore dry
Republicans sought to block a theo-
retically model bill to permit the
drinking of beer without allowing
return OF the saloon, and also with
out enabling political or brewing in
terests to gain control of licensing
OF beer emporiums. Lehman had the
public support of Alfred E. Smith. +.
Primarily, the fight in New York
hinged on whether licensing should
be in control of a single state board
as Lehman demanded-or under
local boards in each community
as the Republicans insisted.
Both Charge Political PLOT
Lehman supporters said the Re-
publican plan was designed to per-
nit political control. Republicans
charged the Lehman plan turned
the valuable beer patronage priv
lIeges over to the Democrats. deny
ing Republicans control even in Re
publican communities.
IN pennsylvania a condition SINH
lar to that in New York existed. ex-
cept that the basic fight was over
whether to permit bars to sell beer.
New Jersey embroiled in similar
controversy, planned to solve the
problem by jamming through the
legislature a temporary bill author
lzlhg restricted sale until May IS.
by which time permanent reguIa-
TONS can be drawn up.
Connecticut has abandoned bone
OF getting bill in effect by Friday.
and intended to permit unrestricted
sale.
Beer Bills Pending
In states which have repealed
their prohibition laws and which do
not pass new laws restricting or
prohibiting beer sale before 1901
FFIoay' beer will be subject to Tree
sale except under such restrictions
as municipalities choose to impose.
states in which beer bills are
penang, but sale on Friday is prob
able, lnclude-in addition to New
YORK, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Observation-Disclosures, Massachu-
setts, Wisconsin and California.
State with prohibition laws. but
Win Oils pending to legalize beer,
are New Hampshire, Tennessee.
North Carolina, Alabama and Ok
lahoma. The beer bills face prob
able defeat in several Of these states.
especially in the south.
Sale to Be DELAYED
Five states have passed beer laws
which will not permit sale until
some time after April 7. These
states, with the dates on which sale
VIII become legal, are: Maine, late
June; Vermont, May / West Vir-
glnia, June 9; Wyoming. May 10;
Louisiana. April 10.
In Washington, D. c., Superinten-
dent F. Scott Mcbride of the Anti
Saloon League predicted that IF the
courts do not invalidate beer legis-
latlon, public sentiment, which orig
lnally outlawed beer, again will pro-
nounce sentence against it.