Evening star., 1936-07-14
DISTRICT ARRESTS
FORDRUNKENNESS
CUT 3,463 IN YEAR
0ffutt Asserts Legal Control
Is Achieving Improved
Social Conditions.
LIQUOR DEALERS HEAR
A. 3. c. HEADS REPORT
1926 Charged With Intoxica.
tion in IL Months-0nly 2S3
Were Minors.
BY DON s. WARREN.

Contending legal control Of liquor In
the National Capital gradually is
achieving better social conditions,
Chairman George w. Offutt of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to-
day reported q reduction of 3,463 In
the number Of arrests for intoxication
here In the fiscal year ended June 80
The report was read at mass meet
ing Of liquor dealers today in the
Labor Department Auditorium. Among
those present were Police Supt. Ernest
w. Brown, Lieut.. George M. Little OF
the police vice squad and other police
officials. Maj. Brown, Lieut.. Little
and the Police Department in general
were given the credit for improved con-
ditions through maintenance of the
A. B. c. law.
Recognizing there is opportunity fol
great improvement, the chairman re.
ported that even with the healthy re-
duction in arrests last year the num-
ber charged with intoXication stood
at 1926. The figure for 1885 was
1859.
Percentage Is Reduced.
OHutt, however, showed the per-
eentage Of arrests for intoxication tc
the total District population had de-
clined from the level of $50 per cent
in the fiscal year 1885 to 500 for the
year just ended.
He voiced particular qualification
over the lessening of arrests of chill
dren for intoxication. There were 29a
under 81 arrested for intoxication ir
the past fiscal year. one of whom was
under II. The total for 1885 was
425. The record for the last year was
the lowest since 1924. which showed
. record of 282.
Offutt quoted Traffic Director Will
liam A. Van Duzer as saying he did moi
find that repeal of prohibition and
the licensing of the dispensation OF
alcoholic beverages has had any effect
on the traffic situation "one way OF
another, showing one of our greatest
fears unfounded."
Arrests for driving while intoxicated
last fiscal year numbered 1913, an in
crease OF. AZ over the previous year
and the number Of accidents attributed
to driving while intoxicated was re-
ported at 235, as against 233 the year
earlier. Against these increases, how
ever, Offutt believes, should be. placed
the increase in total population from
$4,000 to $4,000.
Liquor Revenue Up.
The A. B. c. chairman reported an
increase OF more than $3.50 900 in Dis
trict liquor revenues over 1885. Net
receipts last year were s1,744,015.01
Taxes brought s1,072,4 ,404.25 into the
District treasury and license fees STILL
1869. Board expenses were $40,125.93
In 1885 the net receipts were $1,613,-
0s5. Taxes were $91O,744 and license
fees, $743,338. Expenses were SAC, ,987,
Offutt reported statistics on arrests
Tor tntoxication as the actually ac-
cepted barometer" as a measure of the
social effect of repeal Police Supt.
Brown, said Offutt. found that the
standard of necessity for arrest for
1ntoxication" had not changed since
1912. either theoretically or prac-
tically.
He then reported that arrests for
htoxication had jumped from 1886
In 1912, when the ratio of arrests to
population was 90 per cent and when
the number of saloons was 513 and
the number of wholesalers was 1875, to
9,648 in 1917, when the ratio of ar
rests to population was 235 per cent
and when the number of saloons had
been reduced to 269 and the number
Of wholesalers to SO.
Figures Since Prohibition.
Prohibition came to the District No
vember l, 1917. There were 6,896 ar
rests for intoxication here in 1918.
showing q population ratio of 1853.
There was . slight decline in 1919,
Arrests declined in 1920 with the
coming Of Federal prohibition, the
number that year being 1865, bringing
the ratio down to 81 per cent. The
record then shows rather steady rise
in arrests, along with a population
rise. to the peak Of 1884.
"The trend showed by the figures is
exceedingly interesting and the lesson
obvious" said Offutt.
I'm the years 1918 to 1917 there was
m enforced reduction in the number
Of saloons and wholesale establish
fnents and In spite of this, intoxication
increased at an alarming rate. Like
wise when,. after 1917 and 1920, the
District and then the Nation prohibited
any establishments Of this kind, as
soon as provision was made for illicit
distribution, intoxication increased un-
til, in 1926, the percentage of arrests
for this cause arose to ats per cent OF
the population, higher than it ever was
In anti-prohibition times as far back
rs 1912.
From 1926 the percentage mounts
until 1892 when there was a drop be-
cause Of the universal depression. It
then mounted to 3.32 per cent in 1888
and to 4.58 per cent In 1894 when in
but four months Of the year 1t was
legally possible to dispense alcoholic
beverages here. In 1885 the effect of
repeal was felt and the percentage
dropped to $50 per cent. In 1886 it
dropped to 500 per cent or lower than
at any time since 1880. As can be
seen the actual number Of arrests
for intoxication has gradually re-
ceded."
Summing it all up, O1utt said: "This
Is fair beginning, but every day en-
.phasizes the necessity for proper and
effective temperance education. There
is no place In our modern set-up for
~ drunken or intoxicated man."