Evening star., 1947-08-14
Minor Drink Ban
Receives Buck S
Full! Support
Committee Review
Of Question May /
Be Asked Next Year

Chairman Buck of the Senate Dis.
trict Committee today took a stand
against allowing alcoholic beverages
to be served to minors in licensed
places even though they be ordered
and paid for by an accompanying
adult.
L think it should be stopped or
prevented" said the Delaware Re-
publican Senator. He added that
II the question wasn't or couldn't be
settled administratively by the Com
m1ssioners he would ask the District
Committee early in January to re.
view the question.
Commenting on the ruling of Cor
poration Counsel Vernon E. West
that minors can obtain drinks when
ordered and paid for by an adult,
Senator Buck said:
Something should be done to pre-
vent the practice and if it can't be
solved by the Commissioners then I
will have the District Comraittee
take it up at the opening of the
next session.
intent OF Congress Cited.
Since the law and regulations
forbid the sale of drinks, in licensed
places, directly to minors, it seems
clear to me 1t was the intent Of
Congress they should not be served
even though the drinks are ordered
and paid for by an adult"
He added that he feared the ap.
pllcation of the West opinion would
raise more problems than it solved.
He made the point that while public
consumption of alcoholic beverages
was legal, it was subject to regula-
ton. In the light of all aspects Of
the case, he said he did not regard a
| ban on consumption of drinks by
minors in licensed places unreason-
able.
Meanwhile action on the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Boards request for
amended liquor regulations to pre-
vent the consumption of liquor by
minors on lisenced premises will
have to await the return of two of
the Districts three Commissioners,
it appeared today.
Commissioner John Russell
Young, the only one of the three
on duty at this time, said yesterday
he wouldn't take issue" with the
legal Interpretation of the city's
liquor control act made by Mr.. West.
Interpretation Changed.
After 13 years in which the ABC
Board has been interpreting the
liquor act as prohibiting minors
from getting drinks on licensed
premises in any manner whatso-
ever, Mr.. West on Tuesday said this
Interpretation was wrong. The act,
he said, prevents only the direct
sale or direct delivery of liquor to
minors and does not prohibit minors
from taking drinks bought by and
served to adults.
Mr.. Young said he didn't mean by
that 1--WE think the law Is all right"
however, and added the Commits
sioners have mo desire to contribute
toward the delinquency Of minors"
He said he would take the matter
up with the other two Commission
ers on their return. T.
These comments were made be-
fore Mr.. Young knew the ABC
Board was making an official re-
quest for action on the Commits
sioners' part, but it is likely he will
continue to take the view that 1t Is
a question for consideration by the
full board of Commissioners.
Legal opinion at the District
Building concerning the ABC
Boards request for an amendment
to the liquor regulations was that
it is doubtful the city heads have
the power to ban outright all drink
ing by minors.
1t was said the Commissioners
instead might prohibit liquor being
served to a table at which minors
were sitting.