Evening star., 1940-02-04
25% Of Liquor
Men HereCa||ed
Ex-Boot|eggers
Licenses Bring as High
As $1,000 Each,
Schultz Is Told

Representative Schultz, Democrat,
of Indiana said last night he had
received information that Is per
cent of the liquor dealers in Wash
ington were "bootleggers" during the
prohibition era and that liquor
licenses are being sold as high as
$1,000 each.
At the same time, Mr.. Schultz,
one of the ranking majority men,
bers of the House District Commit
tee, announced he would demand
that the committee make an imme-
diate investigation of the activities
of the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board.
He said he would make his de-
mands at the regular meeting of the
committee tomorrow at 10:30 am,
in the presence of the board mem
bers who have been ordered to
attend.
Chairman Randolph of the Dis
trict committee. at the request Of
Representative Kennedy. Democrat,
of Maryland has served notice on
the A. B. C. Board members to at
tend the meeting. Mr.. Kennedy told
MIN he wanted to question the men,
bers particularly about their proce-
dure in issuing and renewing liquor
permits.
Wants Facts on Rossiter Action.
Mr.. Schultz, however, said he par
ticularly wanted to find out the
facts about the boards refusal to
renew the license of Leo Rossiter
proprietor of a sea food restaurant
at 4132 Georgia avenue NV.
Il want the committee to make
an immediate and thorough inves-
tigaton of the entire liquor setup in
Washington" said Mr.. Schultz.
Il have been told that at least
IS per cent Of those handling liquor,
either directly or indirectly. were
bootleggers during the period of pro-
hibition. have been told, too, that
liquor licenses are transferred at
top price Of $1,000, and that the
average price of transfer is IS 600
If such conditions are true, an in
vestigation should be made and the
entire liquor situation cleaned up
without further delay"
GA certain commercial value has
been attached to class "A" permits
for the sale of bottled liquors of all
kinds, during recent years, since the
Commissioners fixed at 400 the num-
ber of such permits.
Under law and regulation, per-
mits may be transferred from one
person to another, or from one To-
cation to another. providing the A
B. c. Board finds the license appli-
cant and the new location proper.
(The matter of the price to be
paid by the new applicant for a
permit to the holder of an old per-
init, has been left to a private deal
between the two, within these
limits.)
Meredith Succeeds Cans.
Thomas E. Lodge, former president
Va OAlC i CuCl dtlOll VI NlLlZ6IlS ASSO.
Citations, is chairman of the A. B. C
Board. The other members are Mrs
Agnes Mason and William P. Mere.
dith, who yesterday succeeded Isaac
Cans. who is i'll in Emergency
Hospital.
Because of the attitude of Mr.
Lodge in support of the prohibition.
lists to make Washington powder.
dry, contrary to the wishes of tn.
majority of the people, declared Mr.
Schultz, II intend to find out his ex.
act position on this liquor situation
Mrs. Mason, while stern, has beer
falr-minded and has been a credi
to the board"
Mr.. Schultz said ne could no
understand why renewal of Mr.. Ros
slter's license was denied, since 9,
per cent of the residents in the i'm
mediate neighborhood of his seafoot
place had not objected and tina
the police department had not reg
L