Evening star., 1935-02-16
"DlrkSen Proposal Leads
Back to Saloon Against
Campaign Pledge"
COMMENT ON OTHER
FEATURES WITHHELD
Illinois Representative for Linn.
iting Retail Liquor Licenses in
D. C. to About 325.

Commissioner George E. Allen plans
to wage a fight against the move Of
Representative Dirksen, Republican,
Of Illinois, to amend the District
liquor law so as to permit the open
mixing Of drinks in licensed places,
the District official announced today.
He declined to comment, however,
on three other amendments proposed
by Dirksen, one of which would set a
limit of approximately 325 retail liquor
licenses for the entire city. This sug-
geStion previously had been made to
the Commissioners, who answered that
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
already has the authority to fix
limit if conditions dictate such a step.
Allen persistently has defended the
prevailing liquor regulations requiring
that the mixing of drinks be con-
Quoted not in the presence of guests
of hotels, restaurants and clubs which
may sell liquor by the drinks. The
Board of Commissioners several times
has rejected requests by interested
groups for changes to permit open
mixing bars"
Against Old Saloon.
THE Democratic platform, to which
I most heartily subscribed, expressed
the sentiment against return of the
old-time saloon" Allen said.
1T is my conviction that to permit
the open mixing Of drinks in licensed
places would be to take a step back
toward the old-time saloon atmos-
phere If that is gained, no doubt
the pext step would be a move for
sawdust on the floors of liquor selling
places.
II believe that the National Capital
has one Of the very best systems for
the control Of the sale of liquor. 1t
must be remembered that I am a
wet. do not wish to see a condition
develop which would tend to upset the
progress gained by the abolition Of
prohibition Advocates of the open
mixing bars should observe conditions
in cities where mixing of drinks in
the presence of guests is permitted.
I think our system is much to be pre-
ferred."
importation ban.
Private, tax-free importation Of more
than IL quarts of liquor by any one
person would be prohibited under an
other Dirksen amendment
His fourth proposal would require
delicatessens. drug stores and similar
establishments selling bottled liquors
as a sideline to observe the same OPEN
ing and closing hours as the regular
retail liquor stores.
Dirksen said he had received many
complaints, particularly against deli
cateSsen neighborhood stores, that
frequently bottled liquor is sold after
the midnight closing hour imposed
upon retail liquor stores.
For Reasonable Law.
This is an honest effort to get a
more reasonable and workable liquor
law for the District" Dirksen said, in
explaining his four point bill.
In the first place. I believe there
should be some reasonable way to
limit the number of package goods
stores. 1t the same time, efforts
should be made to protect those who
now have considerable investment.
For that reason, have proposed that
a limit be set at l per $500 persons.
and allow the operators at liberty to
select their own locations insofar as
coming regulations for business permit.
If the number now in force is slightly
more than the above basis on permit,
they should continue to operate, but
not be permitted to transfer the IL
cense to a new owner AS the indi-
vidual or firms close up. that license
should be dropped as one Of the per-
mitted dealers.
Would Limit Inflow.
"Also. there should be some limit to
which the private individual should
indulge in the practice of bringing
liquor into the District to escape the
payment of the District gallonage tax
on liquor for private consumption. In
addition, this will give further club
over the illegitimate liquor being sold.
Twelve quarts should be enough at
one time for private consumption.
"If combination stores are to be
established, think that from the
standpoint of policing and the natu-
raj tendency for criticism and suspi-
cion. the stores should be held to
keeping only such hours as are per-
mitted a store that handles liquor ex-
clusively. Then the dealer can elect
which end of his business is the
most profitable and in which he de-
sires to remain.
"At present. the closed bar that
we have in the District has been
established by regulation. 1t Is so un-
satisfactory and lends itself to such
evils that it should be established by
law rather than regulation that the
purchaser be permitted to see what
he is buying. 1t will make for easier
enforcement and more respect for
both purchaser and seller"
0DnM0TEn O0I InC