Evening star., 1934-01-04
JOINT COMMITTEE
HEARINGS PLANNED
ON LIQUOR CONTROL
Begin Tomorrow at 10 Am.
in Old House Office Build
ing Caucus Room.
BILL OF COMMISSIONERS
URGES PRIVATE LICENSE
Some Legislators Are Considering
Government Dispensaries for
Sale, However.

Arrangements were completed today
for joint public hearings before the
House and Senate District Committees
Gil local liquor control legislation, to
start at 10 am. tomorrow in the cau-
Gus room of the cid House Office
Building.
The joint hearings, which are ex-
pected to last two days, we're agreed
upon at a conference last night be-
tween Chairman King of the Senate
Committee and Chairman Norton of
the House group after both committees
had held brief meetings and consented
to joint hearings.
The committees have before them a
bill prepared by the Commissioners
calling for a private license system, but
some members in each house are ser1-
ously conSiderinf the Government dis
persary method of distributing liquor
for Washington. Debate over these two
system of control is expected to furnish
the high lights of the hearings.
Requests Careful Study.
Other questions to come up at the
hearings will relate to restriction on
the granting of licenses in residential
neighborhOodS or near churches ana
schools if the private license system is
adopted. Some of the legislators have
suggested the possibility OF Government
dispensaries for the sale Of bottled
liquor. with private licenses for hotels
and restaurants to serve at tables.
Senator King requested his commit
tee members to give careful study to a
Government control plan along the lines
of the Quebec system, under which hard
liquor can be bought only at the dis
pensaries. while hotels and restaurants
are limited to sale of wines and beer
The Utah Senator said he favored some
differentiation of hard liquor from beer
and wines.
Senator Capper, Republican, of Kan
sas declaring the sale Of hard liquor
Should be restricted indicated he did
not think its sale should be permitted
in drug stores and similar places.
Senator Carey, Republican, of Wyom-
irg. warned that unless liquor prices
are brought down, bootleggers will con-
tinue to operate. Senator Kean, Re-
publican, of New Jersey, urged that the
hearings be brief.
Representative Palmisano, Democrat
of Maryland, a member of the House
District Committee, announced today
he would vigorously oppose the liquor
control bill introduced by Representa-
tive Smith, Democrat, of Virginia.
This bill. which provides for strict
dispensary system and forbids the sale
of so-called hard liquor in hotels and
restaurants would put the liquor bust
ness in the hands of politicians" >"
Palmisano cOntended.
He said he favored the principle Of
the private sale and private profit plan
as embodied in the bill submitted by
the Commissioners and indicated he
would support that measure.
Six-Point Program.
A six-point program to be urged at
the hearings tomorrow was made pub
lie today by officers of the Women's
organization for District of Columbia
Liquor Control, which is the reorgan-
lied group of the recently dissolved
Women's Organization for Prohibition
Reform.
Mrs William Beverly Mason, chair
man. announced yesterday that the or
ganization would be represented at the
hearings by Miss Elizabeth c. Harris,
vice chairman. who will advocate the
following principles in the local con-
troll bill:
"A non partisan and non-political
LIQUOR control board of three members,
one of whom shall be a woman.
The board should have broad pow
ers of control and regulation SO that
changing conditions may be met
promptly.
Low taxes on liquor, to prevent
bootleg competition.
Separate licenses for sale and con-
sumption on and off the premises; no
one dispenser holding both types Of
license.
"One license for beer and wine: an
other for liquors.
Powers to revoke licenses Tor m
fraction of control laws to be vested In
the control board"