Evening star., 1933-12-09
F federation of Churches
Spokesman Attacks Certain
Features of Measure.
PROTECTION OF SCHOOLS
CALLED PRIMARY AIM
La Roe Fears Legislation Does Not
Divorce Liquor and
Politics.

The District liquor license bill as
tentatively drafted does not contain
suficient restrictions to give Washing
ton adequate protection against the
evils Of the liquor traffic, although it
contains many commendable provisions,
Wilbur La Roe, jr. speaking for the
Civic Affairs Committee of the Wash
ington Federation of Churches, told
the Commissioners at todays hearing.
Mr.. La Roe said he was instructed
to advise the board that if and when
liquor legislation is enacted for the
District its primary object should be:
To protect the public against the
evils incident to the liquor traffic; to
prevent so far as possible demoraliza-
ton and ruination of individual lives
through use of liquor; to divorce liquor
control from politics; to avoid the evils
of the saloon: to prevent young men
and young women from acquiring the
alcohol habit; to prevent the sale of
liquor by undesirable persons, or in
iCo1Ncutldi dlCdS, VI ilcdT D. ClluTCIl UT
school; to protect the public against
drunken drivers, to prevent bribery of
officials by the liquor interests.
Termed inadequate.
The copy of the proposed bill which
you sent US accomplishes some of these
objectives, but we are by no means
sure 1t viii prevent very undesirable
situation in the District of Columbia.
1t does not seem to make adequate
provision for divorcing the liquor busi-
ness from politics, which we think
should be major objective.
1t gives the people of the District
OF Columbia practically no voice in the
control Of this vicious traffic. 1t per-
mits the sale of liquor in glasses in
practically all parts of the city, includ-
ing residential areas. if a bona fide
restaurant is located there. 1t does
not impose sufficiently strict rules with
respect to the location of stores where
bottled liquor may be sold
Even on such vitality important mat
ters as the sale of liquor near churches
and schools, there are no stringent reg
ulations and the matter is left In the
discretion Of the Commissioners. in
whose selection the people of the Dis
trict have no voice whatever. It is
urgently necessary to protect high
school students against this vicious COM
modify and We see no possible objection
to absolutely preventing the sale of any
liquor Of any kind within 1,500 feet of
any high school building.
Other Parts Praised.
Many of the provisions of the bill
are commendable and indicate real
desire on the part of its authors to
protect the public interest, but we feel
the protection is still inadequate and
we believe the District of Columbia
ought to set an example for the rest
of the Nation in this matter"
Not more than a score of persons
were on hand in the board room when
the hearings reopened this morning,
but the number increased during the
morning and indications were that tn.
remainder of the day would be re-
quired to complete the taking of testi-
mony. The Commissioners hope to
close the hearings this afternoon.
Speaking in his personal capacity
Mr.. La Roe said he wanted to throw
out a suggestion which has not been
acted on by his committee on the sub
ject of how to give the people of the
District voice in controlling the
liquor problem by taking some part
In the selection of names to be con-
sidered by the Commissioners in choos-
ing the liquor control board of three
persons. Briefly, his personal sugges-
ton was that the larger organized
groups In the city submit nine or ten
names from which the Commissioners
would appoint the three members of
the liquor control board Mr.. La Roe
suggested that these names could be
submitted, one each by the following:
The Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, the Federation of Civic Associa-
tions, representing the colored organi-
zations; the Chamber of Commerce
the Board Of Trade. Merchants and
Manufacturers Association, one by the
Washington Federation of Churches,
one by the Catholic bishop of this
diocese, one by the Central Labor Union
and one by the Jewish groups in the
city. Mr.. La Roe said a board chosen
from such a roster would insure high
class personnel, would give the people
of the District some voice in the selec-
ton and would come as near as pos
sible to divorcing it from political
control.
Prefers Prohibition Here.
LaRoe said 1t was important the Dis
trict be not folded with liquor but
that 1t should be made available under
reasonably tight" regulations. He said
there was no more reason to sell liquor
In drug store than In a grocery store.
Young persons. he said, frequent drug
stores and it would be anti-social to
expose them while there to the sale Of
liquor. II liquor were sold by the bottle
only at liquor dispensaries which ham
die no other product. young persons
would be ashamed to be seen going into
or coming out of them.
He said he believed all church people
In the District still preferred prohibi-
ton to any other way of dealing with
liquor, but that If Congress interprets
the mandate Of the people to be that
liquor should be sold here, the Com
missioners should see to it that its
sale does not constitute the broadcast
ing of temptations to young people
throughout the city.
Holly Slower, managing director for
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