Evening star., 1933-12-05
BROADWAY READY
TO GREET REPEAL
Hotels and Cafes Plan Spe-
ciaI Dinners to Celebrate
Return of Liquor.
BY ROGER BATCHELDER.

BY ROGER BATCHELDER.
NEW YORK, December 5 NA.
N.A).-Broadway is prepared to become
Broadway again, with the repeal Of
prohibitionta matter of hours.
The ghosts Of Shanley's, Rector's
cap" Churchill's, Jere Regan's Forty
Second Street Country Club" with its
s sEsn
Manhattan, Jacks and Downtown MOu.
quin's. AS one looks about there seems
| The Claridge is still there, but it is not
the cocktail and champagne spot of
pre-war and war days. Wallack's, on
! the next corner, has given way to an
! other hotel.
So, as a grandfather, perhaps, one
looks about, to see the youthful and
quite understandable children of other
f, generations reach maturity on the
greatest street In the world. the Coney
! Island of Manhattan They are the
new hotels which have known only
prohibition.
No Celebration at Astor.
A messenger came to the Hotel Astor
and brought to Col. Francis German,
the general manager, the permit No.
/" for the hotels of this city. That was
all there was to it. Col. German said
! that there would be absolutely no Cele-
bratlon, and that while the subbasement
purposes other than that of the original
wine cellar, wine racks had been con-
structed properly elsewhere, and busi-
| ness would go on as usual when the
liquor shipments came in.
The Biltmore and the Commodore,
| likewise veterans of prohibition. said in
paternal fashion that there would be no
promoted excitement Their wine lists
will feature American wines instead of
| the imported.
There will be considerable whoopee In
| town, but since the Times Square area
plans simply to carry on" after the
expected rush In the afternoon even
| the police do not believe they will have
difficulty evening. Some clubs have
announced parties which may need at
| tention. but the advertised scarcity of
beerages-which is a matter of doubt
has spread the celebration over two
nights. with timid people holding off
until Saturday. So 1t looks more like
an "old home week" than New Year
| eve.
One club will place quart of rye
and Scotch In each members locker.
Waldorf Plans Welcome.
The Waldorf is making the most pre-
tentious welcome of repeal. Its dinner
tonight, at $40 q plate, will have nine
courses, and included at proper mo-
ments will be glass each of sherry,
Sauterne, claret, cognac and the choice
of half quart Of champagne or Bur-
| gundy. The menu. prepared by Oscar
| who again is beaming, is naturally in
| French.
Tomorrow night there will be an 'fn-
! vitation dinner" for New York'S society.
! That will be at $40 q cover, and We
were told that one may drink three or
four glasses Of each wine If he thought
| fit Three wines are added to the pre-
vious list, by the way, and cocktails
will be available.
The problem of getting the supply in
at the deadline has been a great one,
for the first shipment will amount to
Within three days there have been so
carload orders from the distributing
agents. and more than 500 carloads of
WnlgEleg. gllJ and vines llQ Dttl pre-
viously ordered
From one Wholesaler 1T was learned
that, to the firms surprise, there had
been a lack of sales of German wines
and distillates that amounted to a boy
colt. Doing a business coming to near
ly 81 100000 to date, this firm had
only sold $4,000 worth Of German
products
The prices ere indefinite, though 1t Is
| certain they will soar for the next few
Oft dow
at present, however, that good domestic
wines should be generally available at
s1.25 q bottle. good ryes at s1.5o a pint,
and cognac, bacardi and Jamaica runs
at possibly a dollar more.
Drinks to Be High.
1t will still cost money to buy drinks
by the drink, however. The Waldorf
expects to charge so cents for a high
ball and IS cents for a cocktail. with
domestic champagnes around 81 and
the imported available under $40 Other
hotels believe that they will start. for
instance, with 35 cents for straight
rye and a nickel more for the ingredi-
ents of a highball.
The SpeakeaSies, in Quandary. will
reduce the price Of their hard drinks
to a quarter before the week is over and
guarantee excellent stuff.
The hitch Is, as wine merchant
pointed out, that the American people
have forgotten their whiskies. The
Government liquor that comes out will
be labeled pure" or blended" The
pure" will be medicinal in properties,
100 proof. or so per cent alcohol The
blended" perfectly potable, and with
Q Federal o. K, need only be 80 proof,
and it need not be pure" whisky. 1t
may have developed an overdose of
alcohol, so that 1t passed the 80 or 100
mark, and then it may be legally cut
with water or with good sherry, If the
distillers are very honest.
Reserve police have been ordered to
the station houses, but the local officials
expect only happy celebration.
(Copyright. 1919. by North American News
paper Alliance. Inc.)