The people's voice., 1943-12-31
WHAT'S GOING ON?

For time past, general public in Montana has
been mystfied by of the performances
mated by the former board with certain dery
which appeared comparatively small group of retail
liquor dealers which light when of the details
the transaction reached for adud
cation brought about the first questioning in the pubc mind
Following hard the heels of this disclosure
about big business deal contemplated
board and the administrator involving be purchase Of dis
tiery and vast quantity of liquor This proposed
with the dsaprova of Governor Ford and the members
the old board resigned
While discussion of these rife stories
and stored in the First National Bank Building Helena
These stories verified to the editor of The Peoples
by reputable and responsible citizens of whom offered f
fdavis support his statement puzzle
This raised such questions gg
Why has liquor in such quantities this bank
building
Where it purchased through the state liquor
control board which is the only selling agency
for liquor in the state?
On what authority did the state liquor control
board sell such large quantities bank any other
in the face of the shortage of liquor?
We can't these questions, but demand answers
to them from the state liquor board
of public policy The states interests involved
state is its people whole.
In addition answering the questions so that the
people of the state know, taxpayers demand
the liquor control board to these questions
Why is it that seldom if ever individual go
into state liquor store and find known brands liquors
its shelves and to almost bar in the
city and find bottles of practically every well
back bar?
BY virtue of what right and by what authority has the
able supply of liquor to the retail dealers and the
the public when supplies limited they repued
to be?
Why has many liquor stores been closed on the
claim that they not profitable?
Wasn't it the of the establishment of the
liquor stores to control distribution this
to all of the people of the state? why stores closed
when they didn't show profits compel people
communities to to the retail stores and the additional
profits demanded by the retailers? other services
rendered by the state to its people which profit
to the state funds?
the tests of being as BEAUTIFULLY pota-
BILE as liquor can ever be has the state liquor control board
purchased from the dsteres brokers the quantities
known, previously unheard brands of liquors?
Has the state liquor control board certain
liquor purchased under those strange brand Names good
liquor inferior products put out under
high prices in order avoid the ceiling prices
established by the Office Of Price former
brands of low priced and inferior blends?
statement of policy is due from the appontees
the state liquor control board should not be
asmuch the law under which functions specific enough
to show its intent But departures from the plain explicit pro
visions of the law and its intent have been
Qualification of those actions must be made and justified
pubics mind to eradicate suspicious that
quor monopoly business being as should be-
Monopoly control of liquor by the has
be effective method wherever tried and honestly and eff
had it effect for years Among those may mentioned
Sweden and New Zealand where it has been
more than 80 wears with satisfactory results Alberta has had
effect thas 20 years the Montana law was
largely copied from its law We fit by legislative action
20 permit retail selling but retaining MONOPOLY Control With
out entering into discussion of the wisdom permitting
tail selling, believe that liquor control board
should give first consideration to the demands of he nnbc
and let the retail dealers take what left Any policy
will create dissatisfaction with the liquor monopoly
Related to degree perhaps this entire ap-
pears to be which took place in Helena this
week 1t is not pleasant thing relate reflect
not the character certainly the judgment the
participants of what ethical citizenship requires
The county attorney of Lewis and Clark county
baement proceedings against the Mint based
allegations of gambling being the establish
This week. delegation called upon county attor
and plainly suggested him that these charges
withdrawn quashed stated that delegation did not
emand withdrawal perhaps in many words but repre-
ented that the attorney acting
out the Mint bar when other establishments
probably also permitting gambling their premises Credit
md honor is due the county attorney for yielding
The pressure placed him may be when one
onsders the of the delegation as
pokesman by Fred Heincke, president National
Bank Others in the delegation E. Eddy OConne
the Eddy Bakeries and member of the board
National Bank W. c. Bardon; Otto Brackman operator of
rocery stores Gene Naegee proprietor and manager
printing and office supply house, Charles Wesne also
prominent business Walter Larson president of the
fontana Meat Company and member of the board
may be remarked that sad state of affairs exist