Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-27
Women C|ubs
Hear Criticism
OLA. Be. Board
Legislation Chairman
Says Responsibility
Is Sidestepped

A charge that the Alcoholic Bev-
erage Control Board has seen fit
to sidestep its responsibility to the
citizens of this community" was
made today before the District Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs at it's
January meeting at Hotel Twenty
four Hundred.
Without calling for any action
from the body, Mrs. Ernest William
Howard, legislation chairman of the
federation, in a prepared statement
suggested that in the near future
the federation members may be
compelled to urge the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia to
make new appointments to the
board"
Mrs. Towards statement, which
was received without comment, pre-
coded adoption of a resolution call
ing on the General Federation of
Women's Clubs to indorse the pro-
posed Sumner resolution for a con-
Stitutional amendment empowering
Congress to grant the District Of
Columbia national representation.
On Program Since 1888.
The general federation has had
the proposed legislation on its study
program since 1885, but has not in
dorsed it. Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley, vice
chairman of the Resolution Com
mittee, pointed out that the District
federation has been on record in
favor of national representation for
the last IS years.
A heated minority group opposed
the resolution today, but it was
adopted with about six dissenting
votes.
In presenting the resolution, Mrs.
Wiley declared that this is a ma
tional question and is so recognized
by some IS national and State or
carnations which have Endorsed
this proposed amendment and more
over, 1t was Endorsed by the Demo-
cratic Party at its national con-
vention last summer"
In making her charges against the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board,
Mrs. Howard said the board has
labored and struggled for the past
six months" in one way or another
and admits unhealthy conditions
exist in the liquor industry in the
District of Columbia. Congress in
various committee hearings and the
citizens have found these same con-
dltions and have asked the board
for permanent remedy, but either
from sheer stupidity or because of
job too big for them to handle, they
have come out of the huddle with
exactly nothing constructive to offer.
Says Need Was Seen.
This board has the power to reg
ulate and enforce regulations and
to clean up conditions as they exist
today. but instead has seen fit to
sidestep its responsibility to the
citizens of this community.
ITO the credit of the two gentle
men on the board, may it be said
that they saw the great need, and
actually had the courage to say as
much, of having the stores where
liquors are sold farther away from
the schools. churches and play
kloulluS. ouI Vic Ufle WOIIldH O1l
the board, whom we expected to
have natural interest in the well
fare of our children, stands alone
and votes against any such reg
ulation and asks that such be left
to the discretion of the board.
Can we depend upon such a
board?s A board with the destiny of
boys and girls and the young people
OF this city in their hands; the
control and regulating of a $4,000
600 business; a board who acknowl-
edges that there is a problem here
and that they have not the ele-
mentary knowledge to solve it.
These and other existing con-
ditions today will lead us to reach
but one conclusion, that in the very
near future we shall be compelled
to urge the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia to make new
appointments to the Alcohol Bev-
Pra9e Control Board"