Evening star., 1943-12-19
Retail Liquor Dealers
Say ABC Board Adopts
'Do-Nothing' Attitude

The District Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board and the Commission
ers were accused yesterday by the
District Retail Liquor Association of
adopting ''do-nothing" attitude to-
ward the liquor situation here.
In an open letter to the consum-
Ing public" the association, through
its executive director, Charles D.
Goldberg, declared that I'VE believe
they have not done their job prop
erly, and we call this to the atten-
ton of the Congress and the pub
lie
The association official said that
for the past two years I'VE have
been begging the Commissioners and
the board to force the wholesaler to
list his prices to the retailers with
the board so the public would know
the price and pay a fair price for
the same. This regulation was
promised and should have been pro-
mulgated over year ago, but moth
ing has been done about it"
Charge Favoritism.
Mr.. Goldberg charged that whole
salers were not making an equitable
distribution Of what liquor supplies
enter the city, but are favoring a
selected 10 or IL dealers, furnishing
them with rs per cent of the mer-
chandise.
The other retailers are left with
the 25 per cent to service their
neighborhoods as well as they can,
he said.
This is unfair, and the whole
salers know it is unfair. The Com
missioners and the ABC Board
know it is unfair, but nothing is
done about it," he declared.
I'VE have advanced many sug-
gestionS to the Commissioners and
the board for the best interests of
a controlled industry in the District
few have been approved by either, y
he asserted.
The wholesalers have never given
us a chance to offer suggestions
since they believe they are bigger
than the industry. this industry
which is so highly affected by pub
lie policy"
The association recently sug-
sested a form of liquor rationing
here as means of seeing that the
Legitimate consuming public re-
ceived adequate quantities. The
ABC Board has maintained, how
ever, that it is opposed TO rationing
on the grounds that it was not pre-
pared legally to do SO and lacked
the means of enforcement.
Hearing Announced.
On December 6 the Commission
ers and the board announced hear
ings would be held at an early
date" on detailed recommendations
made by the board to effect a more
widely spread distribution of sup
plies
The wholesaler has had things
pretty much his own way in this
city since repeal, partly because of
the laxity on the part of the Com
missloners and the ABC Board in
regulating him and partly in his
own indiScretion to make as much
money as quickly as possible" Mr.
Goldberg said.
We are tired of being blamed for
situation not the least bit con-
trolled by us. and we are sick and
tired of telling you people who
should share equally in distribu-
ton, Sorry, no whisky"
Mr. Goldberg disclosed that the
association had invited wholesalers
to attend luncheon meeting re-
Gently to discuss the matter of equal
distribution, but that no wholesaler
appeared.
The association also hit at dealers
who operate under the law as both
retailers and wholesalers. BY allow
ing a large quantity of liquor to be
sold to one individual consumer, the
door is open to resale and bootleg
ging, the official claimed.