Evening star., 1933-12-17
Package Sale for off Prem
iSe Consumption Consid-
cred by Commissioners.
Z0NING REGULATIONS
WOULD BE APPLIED
81 Per Cent Of Property Owners
Would Have Power of Banning
Traffic in Given Radius.

Hard liquor in package form, for
consumption off the premises, could be
sold in both grocery and drug stores,
provided such establishments met all
general license requirements, under the
proposed law being drafted by the Dis
trict Commissioners, it was stated
yesterday.
Licenses for these classes of retail
stores. however, would be subject to
the coming regulations, possible petit
tions OF protest by residents of COM
munitieS and character and other re-
quirementS to be placed on all appli-
cantS for liquor selling licenses
The question of whether liquor
should be permitted to be sold by drug
and grocery stores was debated at some
length at the recent hearings on pro-
posed rum control legislation held by
the Commissioners
Drug Stores BEST Fitted"
Spokesmen for the District of CO.
lumbia Pharmaceutical Association, in
urging that drug stores be permitted
TO sell liquor in containers. contended
that drug stores were the best fitted to
handle that type of distribution of
spirits.
A representative of a large group of
grocery stores raised a strong protest
against the statement that drug stores
were the most suitable places for re-
tail sales of packaged liquor, but did
not oppose licensing Of such places SO
long as grocery stores were given an
equal opportunity
Under the plan being prepared by
the city heads there would be two types
0F lPnFoSnc fNy- .lr1to 60, l.
of spirits on prescription and a major
class of license for regular retail sale
The license fee for the latter type
would be much the higher. Neither
drug stores or groceries could sell liquor
for consumption on their premises
Such sales would be restricted un.er the
proposed law to hotels, clubs and bona
fide restaurants.
Sale of package liquor in drug or
grocery stores could be banned by resi-
dents of an area if the owners of 81
per cent of the property within a GER
tain radius Of proposed establishment
fled with the Commissioners an official
petition Of protest The radius prob
ably will be either $50 or / 600 feet.
r Application of Rule.
This rule would be applicable to all
retail esta blishments, except private
clubs and hotels having more than so
rooms for transient guests. 1t would
apply to restaurants.
officials anticipate that the license
fees and sales taxes resulting from the
sale of liquor in the District will
bring to the District Golfers a very con-
siderable sum, but no estimates are
available since the question of the size
of the fees and sales taxes has not been
settled
Sale of beer in the District is pro-
ducing revenues running close to $780,
900, according to latest figures as COM
piled by Walter L. Fowler, chairman of
the Beverage Permits Board. During
the eight-month period. April to De-
cember, during which beer has been
sold here, sales taxes at the rate of 81
a barrel, totaled S125.760. In addition
TO this figure 1850 places having an
nual licenses paid in license fees total
ing S96202 The two totals aggregate
S221 1862. In addition to the 1850
places granted annual licenses there
are others operating under temporary
permits.
Beer Consumption Drops.
With the coming of Fall weather,
consumption of beer fell off from the
high mark of the Summer months,
Fowler'S compilation shows. The tax
figures are: April, $14,18135; May,
S15,85523 June, s17,375.76; July, $16.-
85152: August, $18,455.28; September,
S17673.37; october, $13,99701, and
November, Sl1, 1866.
The license fees for beer, fixed by the
beer lsw, are: For on-sale.. $l00 year:
off-Sale. $50; manufacturers, $1,000;
wholesalers, $3.50; and solicitors, 81.
The Commissioners have not in
dicated what they would propose for
retail liquor license, but $500 has been
considered as a top OF graded scale.
The Commissioners do not propose
to set limit in the law on the number
CT liquor selling places that might be
licensed Under the old excise law a
limit Of 800 was fixed.