Evening star., 1934-01-19
LIQUOR BILL TERMS
ADOPTED BY HOUSE
Senate Approval of Confer
ence Report Expected
Later Today.
Continued From First Page.)

most unfair to bring up this matter in
connection with the liquor control bill, -"
Mrs. Norton retorted. That's what
have heard called hitting a man below
the belt"
The agreement reached late yester-
day by Senate and House managers on
the points Of difference in detailed pro-
visions retain most Of the Senate
amendments, including a ban against
the sale of hard liquor on Sundays and
the rule against drinking on the streets
or in parks or other public spaces.
Other questions settled in conference
are:
The Senate amendment repeating
Federal laws which prevent sale or pos
session Of liquor on military and naval
reservations was taken out of the bill,
thereby leaving these laws in effect.
There were some who thought this
amendment might have repealed these
laws throughout the country. although
the pending bill is applicable only to
the District.
Woman Member Question.
The conferees did not put back in
the bill the requirement that one Of
the three members of the Liquor Con-
troll Board must be woman, but mem
bers of the conference said they UNDER
stand 1t Is the intention Of the Com
missioners to appoint one woman. The
Senate reduction in the salaries of the
board members from $4,000 to $4,000
year was retained
The number of rooms a hotel must
have to get liquor license was put
back to the House minimum Of 30. in
stead of the Senate requirement of so.
Although the conferees retained the
amendment prohibiting sale of hard
liquor on Sundays, they knocked out
the ban against liquor sales on Christ
mas day
The authority Of the Commissioners
to limit the number of licenses and
the number in any locality is retained.
The conferees wrote a new definition
of the word wine" which means, in
substance, that only beverages made
from grapes can be called wine alone.
Beverages made from other fruits must
be so labeled to show the basic product
used In manufacture.
Limited to Convicted Ones.
In its final form the bill prohibits
the granting Of licenses to persons con-
victed of violating the Volstead law
during the last five years. 1t also pro-
hibits licensing any one convicted OF
a felony within 10 years. This was a
compromise provision. The House bill
covered felonies committed at any time
in the life Of the applicant, but made
no mention Of offenses against the ma
tional prohibition law. The Senate bill
applied the l0-year limitation both to
felonies and to convictions under the
Volstead law.
Under the final draft, no retail
licensee can sell liquor on credit. ex,
hotels and clubs when serving regis
tered guests or members.
The section authorizing the Commits
sioners to establish restricted zones
near churches, schools and other pub
lie institutions, retained the Senate
amendment limiting this power to busi-
ness places established after the date
OF enactment OF this bill This means
that business places established when
this law passes could not be denied
liquor licenses because of proximity to
the institutions mentioned. but other
requirements Of the bill would be con-
sidered by the board in passing on
such applications.
Majority Objections.
There is section in the bill, for ex-
ample, which prohibits the granting Of
license If owners Of a majority of
the residential property within 600 feet
of the applicant object. There also are
discretionary powers in determining the
appropriateness Of locations.
The bill does not contain any pro-
vision which would make the pur-
chaser of liquor from bootleggers
equally guilty with the seller Such
provision was suggested during consid-
Grafton Of the bill in committee and
the impression prevailed that it had
been approved after explanation of the
bill in the Senate Wednesday by Sem
-ator Reynolds of North Carolina.
Corporation Counsel William w.
Bride, who drafted the original pro-
visions for the bill at the District
Building and who has assisted the leg
islative drafting experts at the Capitol
throughout its consideration. was pres
ent yesterday to aid the conferees in
ironing out the final agreement on de-
taiis. He was accompanied by his prin-
| cipal assistant corporation counsel,
Vernon E. West.
Status Of Licenses.
Mr.. Bride said today. in response to
| inquiries, that holders Of licenses under
the present 80 per cent beer law cannot
begin selling beer of any higher alco-
holic content following passage of the
pending bill, until they obtain a new
| license from the proposed Liquor Con-
troll Board. Holders of beer licenses,
| he said, will be permitted to turn in
| their beer licenses and get a refund
| Of the icensee fee for the remaining
period Of the year, If they wish to sell
stronger beer. If such dealers plan
to conflne their future business to beer
and light wines, they could apply for a
tavern license. which does not authorize
sale of hard liquor.
The conferees left in the bill Senate
| amendments allowing doctors, dentists,
veterinarians. hospitals and homes for
aged persons to provide alcoholic bev-
erages for patients or inmates.
The bill which Congress Is about to
pass for Washington Is private license
plan of liquor control The basic fea-
ture of the plan is that it will permit
sale of hard liquors by the drink at
tables in restaurants, hotels, clubs,
railroad dining cars and on boats. 1t
permits the licensing Of retail stores
generally to sell liquor by the bottle
for consumption of the premises.
Two Weeks Notice Required.
The issuance of licenses Is not ex-
pected to start for approximately three
weeks, since two weeks notice must
be given on all applications and an
appropriation for incidental expenses
must be obtained from Congress before
the control board begins to function.