Evening star., 1934-05-11
Commissioner Declares He
Will Not Be Stampeded
Into Revision.
PRETTYMAN PURPOSES
STRICT ENFORCEMENT
However, He Considers Some of
Rules Silly, and Bride
Agrees.

Commissioner George E. Allen let it
be known today he does not propose to
be stampeded into revamping of the
! District liquor regulations, although
some Of them have been termed silly"
by both Corporation Counsel E. Bar
rett Prettyman and his predecessor,
William w. Bride
| We will give the present regula-
tions real trial." he said, land not
consider any changes until it has been
! proved some new rule will be in the
| interest OF the public and better en-
| forcement."
Indicates Satisfaction.
Commissioner Allen indicated he
was pretty well satisfied" with the
way things are working out now.
AT least" Allen said, Il haven't
heard of anyone being unable to buy
glass of beer, or wine, or spirits. You
Cont have to go far to get it. In fact.
| it might be said that Mahomet has not
had to go to the mountain; the noun
tain came to Mahomet
Prettyman purposes to enforce the
regulations strictly. although he told
the Foxhall Village Citizens Associa-
] ton the other evening that some of
., the regulations were without sense"
He mentioned the rule against Ii
censing places within 400 feet of
churches or schools, the rule against
serving drinks to customers standing
| at bars, and the ban against mixing
| drinks in the presence of customers.
Allan took all this with a philoso-
phical smile.
Some of the rules may be found
| to be silly" he added. But, no doubt,
there are intelligent folk who think
there are some silly things in the
Constitution, or even in the Bible.
But if silly regulations will prevent
the return of the conditions that pre-
vailed in the old saloon days, then
I am for having such silly regulations.
Allen recalled that some of the regu-
lations were drafted after President
Roosevelt had informed the Commits
sioners he did not wish to see a re-
turn Of anything resembling the old
time saloon.
Favors School Prohibition.
! Allen also declared himself entirely
in favor of the rule against licensed
liquor establishments near schools.
| Former Corporation Counsel Bride.
who drafted the regulations, explained
| today that the matter Of policies had
been left to the Commissioners. He
agrees with Prettyman, however, that
| some of the regulations are nonsen-
Sical. He does not agree that licenses
should be refused places because they
are merely within 400 feet of churches.
He said he does not object to the rule
as applied to schools.
| If there is to be a 400-foot rule"
he said, Il think it would be a saner
proposition to require that licensed
places be located within 400 feet Of
a church, rather than more than
400 feet away. That way the in
/ f1uence Of the church likely would be
to have cleaner and more respectable
places than those-let us say-that
might be located in some back street"
Praises Board.
Bride said he did not want to be
drawn into the discussion. In fact,
he voiced high praise of the A B. C.
Board and the Commissioners. 1T
was necessary" said he, Ito feel the
way on these matters. Experience will
show what should be done. The diff
flculty is that regulations are not
judged by reason. but rather, at the
start, are the result of prejudice and
overanxiousness.
Saloons in themselves were not
the chief evil Of prohibition days.
1t was the tied house. or the saloons
that were controlled by the breweries
and distilleries, that caused the trou-
BILE. Commissioner Allen was the one
to place in the law and regulations
provisions prohibiting return of this
condition"