The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-06
BY JOHN NJ. GLEISSNER
NEA Service Writer


NEA Service Writer
Denver, Reno, Helena, San Fran
CISCO and other cities in the great
open spaces of the west have re-
sumed their beer drinking on an
old-time scale.
Colorado, in particular, has gone
in for beer in big way. Reno has
old-time saloons, swinging doors
and all Many localities are getting
stable revenues from taxes. but
with the exception of Colorado and
California there appears to have
been little increase in employment.
The Colorado state treasury has
received thus far about $85, 900 from
license fees, counties about $25 900,
and towns and cities over 100000.
Many Get Jobs
1t is estimated that 1000 Colo
radans got jobs as soon as beer was
legal, and that others have gone
back to work since. A canvass Of
sixteen places serving beer in Den
yer showed eighty-two additional
employees at work.
Three breweries are operating in
the state, and eastern brewers are
negotiating for construction of a
new ST. 100000 plant.
Border counties near dry Kansas
and dry Nebraska have difficulty in
getting enough beer to meet the
demand.
The Colorado law made no pro-
vision for local option. but several
localities have had bone dry" ordi-
nances for years and courts have
ruled that these apply to beer.
High Price Retards Sales
In Montana the price of beer has
been highs cents a pint-and
there have been complaints against
its alcoholic content and quality
This has kept down consumption.
Two breweries are operating in the
state.
License fees have brought Mon
tana more than 100000 and local
Jurisdictions another 100000.
1t is not expected that the beer
business will help employment
greatly until breweries are going
full blast and quality has been i'm
proved. No county has as yet at
tempted to exercise local option.
Beer sale became legal in Arizona,
June IA. In Phoenix $50 licenses
brought $4,000 to the city. Police
officials of Tucson and Phoenix, the
two principal cities, report a de-
crease in bootlegging.
Saloon FIourishes in Nevada
Nevada has no state law regulat-
ing beer, so the old-time saloon has
returned with cities in control.
Many speakeasies have been driven
out of business.
There has been little increase in
employment, since many beer bars
are manned by persons who had
worked in SpeakeaSies. Police
records show a decrease in arrests
for drunkenness and drunken driv-
ing.
Reno now has about 100 places
selling beer, sixty of which are
classed as saloons, and has col
lected about 10000 in license fees.
There are about $50 places selling
beer in the state
Nevada law provides for local OPP
ton, but no community has invoked
this section.
No Law in Washington
Like Nevada, Washington has no
state law regulating beer. Cities
and counties may issue licenses and
impose taxes, but the amounts COL
lected so far have not been tabu-
lated.
Several hundred men were given
work renovating old breWeries in
Tacoma and Seattle, and a new
brewery IS being built at Olympia.
Farmers are planting larger acre.
age in hops to meet a growing de-
mand.
Beer is sold openly in Albuquerque
and elsewhere in New Mexico,
but revenue schemes have not been
devised. Judge Milton Helmick of
the Albuquerque district has ruled
that 80 beer is not intoxicating in
fact. The state will vote Sept. 10
on beer and repeal.
Utah Clamors for Beer
Bone-dry Utah, surrounded on
every side by beer states, is expert
encing a clamor for the legalization
Of beer. The Idaho legislature re-
Gently formed the last link in the
circle of wet territory by rushing
through beer bill at a special ses-
sion
California taxes beer at 2 cents
a gallon, and is collecting at the
rate of 100000 a year. The state
has had little racketeering, but nu-
merous hard liquor speakeasies have
been forced out of business by Ie-
galized beer.
Six breweries are operating in the
state and business has picked up
noticeably in many lines.