Evening star., 1934-01-18

ITHE Districts private license plan
Of liquor controi. which will
60 through the f1nal stages Of
i passage at the Capitol today or
tomorrow. is made up Of 80 Sec
TONS covering - pages, setting forth in
detail the conditions under which liquor
viii be sold In the Nations Capital.
It provides for the licensing Of hotels,
restaurants, clubs, railroad dining cars
and boats TO serve hard liquors by the
permits retail stores to sell liquor in
sealed containers for consumption of
the premises. There is also q tavern
license for the sale Of beer and light
wines, without hard liquor. The fol-
kwing Is IN account OF what each Sec
ton Of the bill deals with. as it now
stands. The final effect Of some sec
tions still depends on agreements to
be reached by House ana Senate con-
ferees.
Last Minute Amcndments.
Just before passing the bill the Sen
ate rewrote the first section, which re-
peals the national prohibition act in the
District, to make sure the Commissioners
would have power to prevent the sale
of bootleg liquor. As reported from
committee this section stated that the
Volstead law Is repealed "in so far as
Ii affects the manufacture, sale and
possession In the District of Columbia
and the transportation in. into, and
from the District If Columbia Of alco-
tax has been paid. - |" It was feared
that the phrase upon which the red
eral tax has been paid" might cast a
ia o. Ia
Of illegal liquor, and these words were
eliminated.
Other last-minute amendments were
inserted on the floor to allow physicians
and dentists to administer alcoholic
beverages to patients when they deem
1. necessary In the course Of treatment.
Another paragraph was added to al
low veterinarians to administer alco-
holic beverages Ito a dumb animal"
when they deem II necessary.
Still another amendment would au-
thorize hospitals and homes for aged
persons to administer alcoholic bever-
ages to patients or inmates, for emer-
gency medicinal purposes.
prohibited granting Of a license to any
person who has been convicted in the
last 10 years Of an offense against the
national prohibition act, or Of felony.
The Senate wrote an amendment to
forbid licensees from employing any
person to dispense liquors who has been
convicted Of those offenses within 10
years.
Difference on Hotels.
The first few pages OF the bill consist
of definitions, the most important Of
which are the words hotel" "restau-
rant" and tavern" since these are the
places where beverages would be sold by
the drink. Clubs. railroad dining cars
and boats also could serve drinks by
the glass
To get license a hotel would be re-
quired to have at least 80 rooms, in
the House bill, while the Senate bill
requires so rooms. This difference will
have to be settled in conference.
TIE word restaurant" is described as
a suitable space in a suitable building,
including such suitable space outside
Of the building and adjoining it as may
be approved by the board
Restaurant applicants must have such
kitchen and other facilities as to show
they are bona fide eating places. and
the chief source Of revenue is from sale
Of meals and not from the sale of bever-
ages. A restaurant would not be con-
sidered suitable for a license If any
other business is conducted on the same
space, except such business as is Incl
dental to q bona fide restaurant.
A tavern" Is defined as a place
where sandwiches or light lunches are
prepared. Taverns could be licensed
to sell beer and light wines, but not
hard liquors. The adding Of light wines
to the section relating to taverns was
one Of the changes made in the Senate
yesterday. Formerly it provided only
for the sale Of beer
to appoint the Liquor Control Board
Of three members within IS days, but
they are expected to be named as soon
as the bill Is signed. The Senate struck
out the House requirement that one
appointee must be woman and re-
duced the salaries from Sc, 900 to IS ,000
less the Is per cent cut. The Senate
also made the board members subject
to removal by the Commissioners at
any time. These differences go to con-
ference. The appointees must have
been residents of the District for three
years Immediately preceding appoint
ment and claimed residence nowhere
else during that time.
Section prohibits any member or
employe Of the board from having any
interest in the liquor business.
Section 6 gives the board full power
to issue and revoke licenses. with an
appeal to the District Commissioners
on revocations.
Power to Make Rules Given.
Section Z gives the Commissioners
broad power to draft rules and regu-
lations, not inconsistent with the terms
Of the bill governing manufacture and
sale. They are also given specific au-
thority by this section to make rules
prescribing the terms and conditions
under which each kind Of licensed es-
tablishment shall be conducted. They
may forbid the issuance Of licenses in
such localities or portions OF the city
as they deem proper in the public in
terest. The Senate added authority
to limit the number of licenses to each
WOMEN THROWN