Evening star., 1934-09-14
DISTRICT DEBATE
ON HIDDEN BAR
BROADCAST TO U.S..
Mixing of Drinks in View
of Customers Urged
at Hearing.
RESTAURANT MAN
is ONLY OPPONENT
Health Question Involved, Says
Brewer-Bartenders Ask Right
OF See Buyers.

For the incidental DenenC OF tnOu-
sands of radio listeners at points
scattered over the country, opposing
residents of Washington today debated
the issue Of whether mixing Of drinks
should be permitted at open service
bars in licensed beverage selling
establishments here at public hear
ing before the District Commissioners.
Less than q score of persons at
tended, but opposite views were voiced
into three microphones which were
Set up to carry the debate over a wide
area of the country.
Principal spokesmen for an amend
inent to the liquor regulations to per-
NIT mixing of drinks in view of the
customers were Alexander H. Bell,
counsel to the Christian Heurich
Brewing Co.; Charles E. Sands, inter-
national secretary to the Hotel and
Restaurant Employees Alliance, and
Theodore Sproesser, secretary Bar
Tenders Union of Washington.
Restaurateur Opponent.
One of the principal opponents of
the change was Bert Olmsted, promi-
laent reStaurateur.
The Commissioners will take the
problem under advisement before an
nouncing a decision. Commissioner
Allen has declared in the past the
rule would be changed "over my dead
body" and said prior to the hearing
today he still was not convinced a
change should be made.
While advocates of the open bar
claim that the present hidden bar sys-
tenn encourages insanitary handling of
drinks and substitution of poor liquor
for good liquor, Commissioner Allen
believes the health angle can be han
died by police and health inspectors.
Bell, who said he was speaking only
In regard to beer, declared the present
regulations to be vicious and Eek
tremely silly" He said so far as he
knows Washington is the only place
where beer may not be drawn In view
a customers. He said he had been
informed, but did not have a personal
knowledge, that portions of q glass of
bear not consumed by q customer are
taken backstage, filed up with fresh
Beer and served to another customer.
Health Is Involved.
III this rule Is continued you will
have bad health situation here" he
said, arguing that violent diseases
can be contacted from the use of
drinking glasses
Sproesser argued that bartenders
would have better control over their
customers II they are allowed to mix
drinks at q place from which they
have view Of their customers.
What can q young waitress know
OF the age Of q male customer" he
asked, referring to the rule against
serving drinks to a minor.
When Commissioner HAGEN asked
what that had to do with the case.
Sproesser replied that an experienced
bartender would have better Judgment
and could use 1t II he worked where
he could keep his eyes on his Gus
toners.
Olmsted said the question was q
serious one, that the main question
was not that of hidden bar" or an
''open bar" but whether or not the
saloon shall return to the District of
Columbia.
I'm my long experience as a pro-
prietor Of restaurants here permit me
to voice the view that If open bars are
permitted. on-Sale establishments
again will become. in fact. saloons. -
he declared.
Old-time Bar Opposed.
"The Commissioners will recall that
the President was strongly of the opin-
ion there should be no establishment
IN the District which would remotely
resemble the old-time bar" he con-
tinued. Even those citizens of the
District who favored repeal were
strong In their views that there should
be no return of the saloon"
/ Olmsted also said 1T strikes m.
rs q poor argument, in an effort tc
do away with the concealed mixing ol
drinks, to complain that regulation.
are detrimental to the health of the
community. Washington has one ol
the most efficient Health Departments
known to this country"
The hearing was delayed for about
Is minutes so that the argument,
could be carried on a network broad.
cast from Ills to HAS.