The Washington times., 1934-01-17
SENATE ACTION
ON MEASURE
DUE TODAY
Business and Political Lead.
erS Cite UndesirabiIity
Of Dispensary Plan
CONTINUED from Page y

OHttuuS0 from Ho8S -
system Fred A. Britten (R0 Of
Illinois today cited the evils which
would result from it's substitution
for the licensing plan provided
by the District Commissioners bill
as advocated by The washington
Times. He said:
'There are four requirements
Of liquor. It should be good; 1t
should be cheap; 1t should be
easy to buy, and 1t should be
sold in respectable places. None
of these would be possible under
the diSpenSary plan.
81 am absolutely opposed to
the diSpensary idea because 1t
would positively enc Ourage
speakeasies and bOOtleggerS."
Retains Present Evils
Furthermore, Britten said. it
would force a person wanting q
single drink to buy a whole bottle.
"It would also retain the hip
pocket flask and all dinner and
dancing parties in washington
would have bottles under tables
as during prohibition"
Still another objection to the
dispensary plan is raised by Rep
resentative George Holden Tink-
ham (R0 of Massachusetts,, who
says:
II am opposed to the liquor
diSpensary system because I
don't want to see my Govern
ment engaged in more business.
already it is engaged about
80 per cent In business"
WilIford For Licenses
But not all the opposition
comes from the minority'S side
of the Chamber for one Of the
strongest advocates Of the licens-
ing plan is Representative Albert
C. Willford I'D Of Iowa who
says:
"The more you concentrate
liquor, as under the dispenSary
system, the farther you get
away from temperance.
"The licensing plan would
force liquor retailers to main
tain respectable places of busi-
ness by threat Of removing their
licenses No reputable saloon
keeper before prohibition ever
hurt public morals"
Still another voice raised in
favor Of the Commissioners bill
is that of Representative George
Burnham (R) of California:
FavOrs Licensing
II favor the licensing plan
because it is the best way to pro-
mote Temperance and because
I believe hard liquor should be
as easy to buy as q dozen eggs
or oranges.
Furthermore, I think the
licensing system win promote
greater use of light wines and
beer. That is what this country
needs. If light wines and beers
were put in the same category
it would tend to discontinue ex-
CeSSive use of hard liquor"
Senator John H. OVerton DO
of Louisiana asserted that he will
vote with the committee, declar-
ing:
~ think the bin the COM
mittee has reported is about
as good q measure as can be
framed under the Circum-
stances, and I think the Senate
should SUPPORT it,"
Since he is generally in favor
Of the private licensing system
over the government diSpensary
system, Senator James P. Pope
CD of Idaho, said he will prob.
ably vote for the committee bill.
He said:
II favor the original bill un-
less 1 find something in. the
substitute which would appeal
to me so definitely that I would
change my beliefs"
McNary Undecided
Senator Charles L. McNary
(R0 of Oregon, Republican floor
leader in the Senate, asserted he
would be inclined to follow the
committee recommendations, al
though his mind was not made
up definitely.
Declaring himself firmly against
the Government dispenSary sys-
tenn, Senator Lynn l.. Frazier (R0
of North Dakota, said he will sup
port the private licensing bill,
while Senator Richar1 B. Russell.
jr., CD of Georgia, feels that
the Senate and House Committees
and the District officials went
into the matter thoroughly and
since they have recommended the
private licensing system. members
of the Senate, who, he says, could
not give the matter such deep
study. should follow the recon"
mendations
Mr.. O'Brien'S Views
The very attitude of the advo-
Gates of the diSpensary system
is conducive to intemperace in
the opinion of Edward F.. O'Brien,
local representative Of a builders
supply firm. O'Brien said:
"The diSpenSary system would
certainly, encourage the public
to buy liquor in large quanti-
ties, whether for home con-
sumption or rlain 'alley-drink-
ing Either Of these would be
detrimental to the public good.
The license system Is the only
thing" ....-.t... ..
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