Evening star., 1951-04-03
Nicely Supports
Plan 10 License
BottIeCIubs
Case Demand for
Committee Probe
Still to Be Decided


District Committee today threw
his support behind proposals that
afoer-hours bottle clubs be placed
under licensing and regulation.
His announcement stems pri-
marily from protests over Satur-
days Staying at the Downtown
Club, 606 E street NV, although
the question of controlling or
abolishing the after-hours clubs
has. been under consideration on
Capitol Hill for some time.
Left undecided for the time be-
Ing was the. demand of Senator
Case, Republican, of South Da-
kota for a full investigation by
the District Committee of the clubs
and their relation to law enforce
ment problems.
For one reason, there are pro-
posals in the making for some
congressional committee or COM
mission to carry on the work of
the Kefauver Senate Crime In
vestigating Committee when it ex-
pireS at the end of this month.
Early Hearing Planned.
1t was indicated, however, that
the after-hours clubs law enforce
ment problem would be given an
airing at an earlier date. District
Committee officials said there
would be public hearings on the
bottle clubs control bill and that
undoubtedly the law enforcement
problem would be considered at
those sessions.
Further, the Senate District
Committee is scheduling a meeting
for next Monday and officials say
the after-hours club issues un-
doubtedly will be discussed then.
Gerhard P. Van Arkel, commit
tee counsel, revealed today that
the Commissioners have submitted
a proposed bill providing for Ii
censing and regulation of the
after-hours clubs. Licenses would
be issued by the Alcoholic Bever-
age Control Board and the Com
missioners would be given power
to regulate hours when the clubs
could be operated.
Bill to Be Redrafted.
Mr.. Van Arkel said Senator
Nicely had directed him to redraft
this bill and prepare it for his in
PRODUCTION.
Senator Case tied his investi-
gat-on proposals into discussion
of the issue Of home rule for the
District. He has introduced a bill
of his own for an elected city
council and an elected non-voting
delegate in the House.
Under his city government plan
the appointed Board Of Commits
sioners would be continued but
its powers to write liquor regula-
tions or to act on Liquor license
appeals would be transferred from
the Commissioners to the city
council.
Senator Case has undertaken a.
three-way investigation revolving
around the killing at the Down.
town Club of Louis Gregory, its
32-year-old night manager and
bouncer
Aside from asking for Senate
investigation, he revealed he has
written to the Commissioners and
the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board, asking how such clubs
operate and under, what regula-
tions, if any.
He said he also had written to
the Secretaries of State and Navy
for reports on two of their en-
ployes who were struck by stray
shots in the Downtown Club
affair.
Cites Munitions Assignment.
The State Department employe,
shot in the thigh, was Earl Ker-
NIT Peterson. Senator Case made
the point that he was in the State
Department division which passes
on licenses for the export of mu-
nitions to foreign powers.
The Navy employe was Yeoman
Margaret Morriss, attached to the
executive Office of the Secretary
of the Navy.
THE American people have not
forgotten" Senator Case said in
his statement, submitted for
printing in the Congressional
Record, "that loose talk dropped
in late hours of drinking taverns
had much to do with the extent
OF the tragedy at Pearl Harbor.
so ! have written to the Secre-
tary of State and the Secretary
OF Navy for a report on the en-
ployment record and the security
status OF the two employees who
were wounded in this 6-o'clock-in-
the-morning shooting affair at an
after-hours drinking spot"
On Doorstep of Congress.
In another appeal for action,
Senator Case stressed that the
Gregory killing was the second re-
ce-sly in an aftcr-hours bottle
club and that Congress, having
legislative authority over the Ma
tional Capital, had its own re-
ST" visibility.
ct is easy in these days" he
sac, "to talk about crime and to
be interested in the exposures that
haze been made in many cities
through the efforts of the Senate
committee headed by the Senator
o. Tennessee, Mr.. Kefauver. But
h2-e is a matter on our own door,
stc2s.
This killing. following an all
nigl,s drinking affair and an argu-
m2nt over gambling losses, hap
peqed within a stones throw of
tse Capitol. It happened in the
D---a-ict of Columbia for which,
unoer the Constitution, the Con-
gress has direct legislative re-
sponsibility."
McKennev HiIIe pTA