Evening star., 1950-03-14
Houseb|ocksBi||
To Extend Hours
OF Liquor Sales
Big Margin Rolled Up
In Test Vote CuIIinq
For Debate on Issue
By Harold B. Roaers

By Harold B. Rogers
The House virtually has laid
aside bill to extend sale of liquor
over bars from the midnight dead
line on Saturdays to 2 am. Sun
days.
The measure still is on the
House calendar. But it stands a
poor chance of approval now,
legislative veterans said, after the
big margin rolled up against it in
a test vote late yesterday.
BY a roll call vote of 242 to 10,
the House turned down a motion
by Representative Klein, Demo-
|crat, of New York to bring his
measure up for debate in the
House, sitting as a committee of
the whole.
. Parliamentary Tactics.
There was no debate on the
merits of the issue, but plenty of
parliamentary tactics were used
before the bill finally was blocked.
The Klein measure had been
reported to the House by a ma
jority of the House District Com
mittee last month. But the roll
call yesterday disclosed a major
ity of the same District Committee
voted against it's consideration by
the House. The committee men,
bers voted. 13 to 4, with seven not
voting.
Mr.. Klein was angry afterward.
He declared it was Outrageous
that the House didn't even have
la chance to vote on the merits of
the issue" He said he didn't even
get the opportunity to explain his
measure.
Argument for Home Rule"
This business Of gagging my
bill so the members could vote
their prejudices and bias for the
benefit of their own constituents
is not democratic process" he
declared. 1T is the best argu-
ment can think of for District
home rule"
Mr.. Klein said District resi-
dents want the two extra hours
of liquor sale Sunday mornings
despite the opposition of the Dis
trict Commissioners to his bill.
The New Yorker welcomed the
attempt of United States Attorney
George Morris Fay to dissolve II
Washington .after-hours clubs
through court action. He said his
bill had been intended as an at
tack against such bottle clubs. If
authorities had moved against
such clubs long ago, Mr.. Klein
said, he might not have intro
duced his bill. =
MIR. Mcmillan. Democrat. Of
South Carolina, who voted against
House consideration Of the meas
ure yesterday. said the bill could
be called up by Mr.. Klein on the
next District day, March 27. But
he felt that the heavy majority
yesterday in the House was def
mite indication of the feeling of
members against the bill. Mr.,
Mcmillan said there would be lit
tie use asking the House Rules
Committee to give the bill clear
ance for floor action.
Only House Discussion.
The only House discussion of
the Klein bill on its merits came
earlier yesterday when Repre-
sentative Bryson, Democrat, of
South Carolina attacked it and
charged there already is too much
drinking in Washington, leading
to crime and accidents.
House action against the Klein
bill opened when its author first
asked the House to resolve itself
into a committee of the whole
Representative Taber. Republican,
OF New York made the point of
order that quorum was not pres
ent. On a quorum called, 329
answered.
After a voice vote. on his motion
Mr.. Klein asked for a standing
vote, resulting in lis to go against
him. He then asked for a roll
call. and this vote showed 242 to
10 against action on the bill.
Six Minor Bills Voted,
No objection was raised to six
minor bills rapidly passed by the
House. They all went to the
Senate. They would: .s.,ss.s.
Authorize the Alcoholic Beyer.
age Control Board to revoke the
license Of liquor leader convicted
OF a felony; set up a mutual-aid
system of fire-fighting between
the District and agencies in near
by counties; raise the amount
loaned by District credit unions
to members without security from
$50 to $500; set up a revolving
fund into which funds paid by
educational institutions here for
Federal surplus school supplies
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