Evening star., 1936-10-28
MEETING CALLED
ON BAN Of LIQUOR
NEAR HOSPITALS
Spokesman of Institutions to
Fix Stand, Probably
Next Week.
COMMANDMENTS OPPOSE
APPROACHING STORES
War Secretary's Ruling 0verturns
Old Policy for Army and
Navy Reservations.

George w. OQutC, chairman OF the
A. B. C. Board, announced today that
he has invited spokesmen for all pri-
vate and public hospitals in the Dis
trict to attend meeting to discuss
the question of prohibiting liquor
stores near hospitals.
The meeting will probably be held
next week. Offutt said that If senti-
ment seems to be against such pro-
hibition he would suggest to the Com
miSsioners that they draw up q regu-
lation banning licenses to stores
within a certain number Of feet of
the institutions.
The suggestion has already been
made that no liquor store be allowed
within 400 feet of a school or church
unless the establishment was in
operation before January, 1884, when
the District repeal law was passed.
Commandants Object.
Despite the ruling by Acting Secre-
tary of War Woodring that whisky can
be sold within 500 feet of the gates of
Walter Reed Hospital, the comman-
dants of Washington military and
naval reservations today voiced their
objections to having liquor stores near
their preserves.
Putting liquor within the reach Of
the naval enlisted man tends to do
away with the discipline of the insti-
tuition" in the belief of Rear Admiral
Charles S. Butler, commandant of the
Naval Medical Center. THE prob
lem has never arisen directly since I
assumed charge here, but I am Ger
tain I should agree with Gen. De
Witt
Gen. Wallace De witt, in command
OF Walter Reed, for three years fought
the license sale of whisky within $500
feet of the Army Medical Center. Sec
retary Woodring reversed him, how
ever, and now Aaron Aronson has a
icenes for the business 500 feet from
the Georgia avenue entrance to Wal
ter Reed.
Objection Unremoved.
In view of what the Secretary of
War says, we have to change our
limit" Col. J. w. Meehan, executive
ofhcer at the hospital, said. But
that does not remove our objection. 4"
The Woodring decision, it was
pointed out, not only affects the liquor
stand of Walter Reed officials but
overturns a policy which had gained
great strength before the days of
prohibition-the surrounding OF the
military and naval reservations in the
District with increasingly larger dry
areas
The one institution which has made
a successful post-prohibition stand
for the retention of this dry area is
Soldiers Home. No hard liquor is sold
within a mile of this preserve, al
though the members can buy beer by
the bottle at any one of six stores at
the Upshur street entrance to the
reservation. In 1884, when liquor re-
turned to Washington, the governors
Of the home insisted on restrictions.
Gen. McCain's Stand Retained.
"At that time" Col. William W.
Morrow, acting head of the home,
said today, Maj. Gen. Henry P.
Mccain. who was in charge here, de-
clared that 1t was in the best in
terests Of the home and of the indi-
vidual members Of the home to keep
hard liquor away. We still feel that
way, just as we did before the pro-
hibition amendment"
Anther opponent of the sale Of
liquor near his institution is DR.. Will
liam A. White, superintendent of st.
Elizabeth's Hospital. which is non-
military, but Federal hospital for
mental patients.
II don't know about Walter Reed, I"
DR.. White said, but I can tell you
how I feel about my place-liquor
doesn't mix with the kind Of patients
I have here. I've done my best to
keep away liquor stores. I certainly
object to them. There are some beer
and wine stores fairly near here, but
we haven't had any trouble on ac-
count of them"
Lighter Drinks Flow Freely.
Beer and wine flows freely near all
these institutions and reservations in
stores licensed by the A. B. C. Board,
which was told by Secretary Wood
ring:
"I request that you disregard OBJ
jections made by an official of Wal
ter Reed Hospital or any other official
agency Of the War Department or
the Army inconsistent with the policy
of the War Department as stated in
this letter"
Two blocks from Walter Reed.
around the intersections of Georgia
avenue and Fern street and Georgia
avenue and Geranium street, are two
of-sale beer and wine stores, two
on-sale beer parlors and one of-sale
hard-hquor store. Seven stores within
three blocks of Naval Hospital sell
beer to take out, and not far away
are two breweries.
Within a block of the Marine Bar
racks, at Eighth and I streets SOUTH
east, are IS places, some of which sell
hard liquor by the drink, some hard
liquor by the bottle, some beer by the
drink and some beer and wine to take
out. A few blocks south, outside the
Navy Yard gate, are 10 establishments
selling beer or whisky by the drink or
by the bottle.
The soldiers at the Army War Col
lege have short stroll to one Of
three stores where they can obtain
bottled beer or wine to take away with
them.