Evening star., 1933-03-15
D. c, BEER MEASURE
AGAIN OFFERED IN
SENATE BY TYD|NCS
Proposed as Amendment to
National Bill for Speedy
Action.
FAVORABLE REPORT
IN HOUSE EXPECTED
Senator's Proposal Same as That Of
Last Session Except for Change
to Conform to 80 Content.


this afternoon as a proposed amend
ment to the national beer bill by Sen
ator Tydings, Democrat Of Maryland
The national measure, which was
reported from the Finance Committee
this morning, will not be taken up In
the Senate before tomorrow, but the
action of Senator Tydings in filing the
District amendment puts it in a posi-
tion to be offered for inclusion IN the
national bill when it it taken up.
Meanwhile there were prospects that
the District beer bill introduced yester-
day by Representative Palmisano. Dem
ocret, of Maryland, would be favorably
reported to the House tomorrow. The
House is expected to act speedily on
the measure, committee disposition OF
which has been delayed somewhat due
to the fact the Republican members
of the House District Committee have
not been chosen.
Change but Slight.
Except for a change in the alcoholic
content to conform to the 80 per cent
by weight limit. fixed in the national
measure, the Tydings amendment Is
the same as the separate local bill the
Maryland Senator introduced at the
last session. The bill last session pro-
yided for sos per cent beer.
Tydings did not discuss the amend
ment when he introduced it, beyond
saving: Il submit an amendment IN
tended to be proposed by me to the
beer bill. 1t applies to the District OF
Columbia
licenses to be issued by the Commis-
sioners. "On sale" licenses would be
granted only to bona flde restaurants,
Incorporated clubs and hotels, to serve
beer at tables, or, in the case OF hotels,
in guests rooms. This license would
cost S100 year.
of sale" licenses would permit the
sale of beer in packages, but not to pc
consumed on the premises. Inns
license would cost $25 year A tax
of S1.2O a barrel would be collected by
the District from licenses.
In these respects, the bill Is much
the same as the Palmisano measure.
Under the Tydings plan, the Com
missioners would be empowered to IN.
ouire into the moral character ana
financial responsibility of applicants
for licenses, and would CONSIDER the
appropriateness of the locations, ana
take into consideration the number OF
licenses to be issued.
Representative Palmisano introduced
his measure yesterday about an hour
before the House passed the national
beer bill, and announced he hoped TO
have it placed of the calendar at the
earliest possible moment.
Committee to Be Organized.
Speaker Rainey and House Leader
Byrns both are of the opinion that the
House can make right-of-way for the
Palmisano bill as soon as it is reported
by the District Committee. Minority
Leader Smell has promised to announce
the Republican appointees this after
noon so as to give the committee an
opportunity to arganize and report the
bill to the House.
The measure repeals certain sec
tions of the Sheppard act, but contin-
ues in force the prohibition against
drinking in public, driving while intoM-
Gated and the penalty for tntox1cat1on.
The Palmisano bill also provides
for two kinds of hcenses-'on sale" and
''of sale" The "on sale" license, would
pay s1O0 year. This license would
allow the sale of beer for consumption
on the premises only.
The "off sale" license would permit
the sale of beer in original packages
for consumption off the premises only.
The fee for this type of license would
be s25 year. "On sale" licenses would
be granted only to bona f1de restau-
rants, incorporated clubs and hotels.
The reason for the failure to INCLUDE
the District in the national beer Dill
was explained to the House by Repre-
sentative Mccormack, Democrat, OF
Massachusetts,, chairman OF the COM
mittee in charge of the national mea-
sure. He pledged his support, however.
in putting through special legislation
for the District.
Explains Position.
reference has been made previously
during the debate to the fact that pro-
vision is not made in this bill Tor the
immediate manufacture, sale and dis
tribution of the beverage provided in
the bill in the District of Columbia," 4"
Mccormack said. The reason for this
is very simple. 1t is not the purpose
of this bill to provide for anything other
than the raising of revenue and the in
direct amending of the Volstead act to
permit the several States and Terri
tories to manufacture, distribute and
sell a beverage containing not more
than 80 per cent of alcohol.
1T is the purpose of this bill to leave
to the several States and to the Terri
tories the power to pass enabling lesis-
lation relative to their own jurisdiction.
BY adopting this method we are taking
the Federal Government completely out
of this field and divesting the jurisdic-
tion of the Federal Government to that
extent.
While it is true that the Congress Of
the United States passes all legislation
relating to the District Of Columbia,
nevertheless we do so in the capacity Of
arvic c1o for Nf %h4 Dtefrt tnf 80 CN1, .io
The usual procedure of bill being in
troduced and referred to the Committee
of the District of Columbia will be
taken. 1t would be improper for the
Committee on Ways and Means to
undertake to report out in this bill q
provision relating to the manufacture,
distribution and sale of beverage con-
tanning 80 per cent of alcohol in the
District Of Columbia. Such enabling
legislation after this bill becomes law
will be passed To incorporate any
such provisions In the present bill
would interfere with its passage. So far
as I am concerned, I shall do every
thing in my power to see to it that such
legislation is enacted as quickly as pos
sible after the pending bill becomes
law"
National Bill Believed Effective.
Representative Cochran Democrat
Of Missouri, chairman of the Commit
tee on Expenditures, emphasized that
he had been informed by the corpora
ton counsels Office that the national
bill would be effective in the District
because the Volstead law superseded the
Sheppard act for the District which
antedated the Volstead act. Regarding
the District, Representative Cochran
said:
."Something has been said about the