Evening star., 1947-01-19
Stand-Up Drinks
..5pIitCongress,
Committees
Copper Opposes Plan;
Says City Now Is
Wettest in World

Wettest in World
The District Commissioners pro-
posal to permit stand-up drinking
at local bars met with both opposi-
tion and approval on Capitol Hill
yesterday.
Some legislators indicated they
will object strongly to the plan;
others will support it. From tenn.
perance advocates outside of Con.
gress came indications that repre-
sentatives of Washington's former
antisaloon forces will fight the plan.
A lively controversy is anticipated
when proposed legislation reaches
Congressional committees.
The District Commissioners have
authorized Corporation Counsel Ver-
non E. West to prepare for intro
duction in Congress bill to amend
the 1884 District liquor control law.
This legislation now limits serving
of alcoholic drinks to persons
seated, and forbids stand-up drink
ing. The amendment would per.
NIT standing at bars.
Objection to such change in
the law was voiced by Senator Cap
per, Republican, OF Kansas, former
chairman of the District Commit
tee. He still is a member of the
committee which will consider any
proposed change in the law.
Capper: "Too Much Liquor Here"
IT am always on the dry side," de-
clared the veteran legislator, who
has championed anti-liquor meas
ures during his entire % years in
Congress.
st think Washington is the wet
test city in the world" he said. 1T
is a wide-open city. Too much
liquor is sold here, especially at
night.
"One Of the solemn promises made
by the late President Roosevelt
when the 18th Amendment was re-
pealed," he asserted, was that there
would be no return to the old sa-
loon. This stand-up drinking would
be worse than return of the saloon.
You would have not only men, but
women too, standing up at the
bars"
On the other hand, Representa-
tive Auchincloss, Republican, of New
Jersey, member of the House Dis
trict Committee, said he favored
stand up drinking. To limit serv-
ing of drinks only to those seat
ed, he declared, was-"the silliest
thing imaginable"
why they ever invoked that" he
said, lis beyond my understanding
1t has no effect on the quantity OF
liquor consumed"
New Jersey, New York Cited.
In his home State of New Jersey
land also in New York, Mr.. Auchin-
Gloss said, the customers drink
standing up, with no bad effects.
Representative Abernethy, Demo-
crat, of Mississippi. also a member
of the House District Committee
said he was inclined to oppose any
change in the present law. So far
as he personally was concerned, he
said, drinkers might just as well
stand up or sit down. But If a
change in the law were made, he
said the opponents of liquor might
charge that the move was an "edg-
ing back to the old-time saloon"
Representative Harris, Democrat.
of Arkansas, also House District
Committee member, said he thought
that to specify in the law that
drinking be done either seated or
standing was getting down to a
pretty fine technical point" During
his six years residence here, he said
he had heard no complaints against
the present system.
Representative Hebert, Democrat.
OF Louisiana, District Committee
member, said he didn't think it made
much difference whether man took
his drinks sitting, standing or
lying down."
'In my home State we have no
regulation on sale of liquor except
that the place must have license.
We have fewer drunks in Louisiana
than in any State In the Union. We
know how to handle our liquor. Why
not let 'em stand up in the District
Of Columbian"
Senator Hoey. Democrat, of North
Carolina. former acting chairman of
the Senate District Committee, said: {:
II am not familiar with the method
in the District. Personally I do not
drink. favor any method to reduce
the consumption of liquor, and op-
pose any method which increases
consumption"
Dry Forces Oppose Change.
A spokesman for the dry forces Of
the District of Columbia, Andrew
Wilson, attorney, predicted that
temperance advocates here would
oppose the Commissioners plan.
Mr.. Wilson was president of the
District Anti-Saloon League for Is
years, and is now vice president
emeritus Of the Anti-Saloon League
of America.
The contention was always made
by temperance forces during lengthy
consideration of the new District
liquor law, he said, that a man
would drink more If he stood at the
bar. On the other hand, he said,
it was claimed if a man sat down
he wouldn't drink so much
II still take that position" he
said.
President Roosevelt's declaration
against the saloon was quoted dur
ing hearings on the District liquor
law January 6. 1884 1t was placed
in the record by w. o. Tufts of the
Washington Federation of Churches
and Central Union Mission, as fol-
lows: "No State shall by law or
otherwise authorize the return Of