Evening star., 1953-12-20
SenatorsGiiven
Plan toCurb
Youth Drinking
Adults Who Buy .
Liquor for Minors
Would Be Punished
By Miriom Ottenbero

Proposed District legislation to
curb drinking by minors and
to punish adults who buy liquor
for them was presented to the
Senate Juvenile Delinquency
Subcommittee yesterday by Rep
resentative Miller, Republican.
of Nebraska.
DR.. Miller, who heads the
health. education and welfare
subcommittee of the House Dis
trict Committee, sent the Senate
investigators of juvenile delin-
quency law passed in Nebraska
in 1851 and reported to be "ex-
tremely effective" in reducing
the number of unlawful liquor
sales to minors there.
The juvenile delinquency sub
committee resumes District
hearings tomorrow with Police
Chief Robert ". Murray COM
pleting his testimony. He will
be followed by other police, well
fare, school and health officials.
DR.. Miller said he was sub
mitting his proposal for the
record after reading reports of
the hearings last week which
featured testimony on wide
spread Juvenile drinking here.
Referring to proposals to halt
telephone orders for liquor, he
said such a ban would not get
to the heart of the problem.
Law Hits at Adults.
The Nebraska statute, he
wrote, prohibits purchase by a
minor of Intoxicating beverages,
purchases of liquor for a minor,
sale to minor. making liquor
available to a minor and pos
session of intoxicating beverages
by a minor.
THE blocking of these five
avenues" he wrote, makes it
illegal for a minor to obtain
Intoxicating beverages in any
manner and hits at the adult
who might purchase liquor for
q minor. 1t also opens the
door for licensees to begin
prosecution.
AS a protection to the liquor
store proprietor or tavern
keeper, DR.. Miller explained, he
may require persons whose age
is in doubt to sign a statement
that they are 81 years old or
older before they make their
purchase. This form, which is
provided free of charge by the
Nebraska Division of the United
States Brewers Foundation, is
kept on file for inspection by
law enforcement officers. Warm
ing signs are posted wherever
liquor is sold.
Liquor Buying Curbed.
Nebraska liquor associations
not only have readily accepted
the sterner laws, DR.. Miller said,
but they have provided identifi-
cation cards, encased in plastic
to prevent tampering. to youth
full appearing persons who are
actually over 81.
DIR. Miller added that the laws
not only have curbed liquor
buying by and for juveniles but
have also worked effectively to
keep minors from patronizing
dlne-and-dance and bottle clubs.
Il see no reason" he wrote.
"Why the seat of the Federal
Government should not apply
penal sanctions in these matters
as forcefully, if not forcefully,
than other governmental Subdi-
visions which look to Washing
ton for maximum possible en-
forcement standards"
Witnesses Listed.
After Chief Murray's testi-
mony tomorrow, the subcommit-
tee has scheduled these wit
neSSes:
Capt. Mary Gainey, chief of
the police Women's bureau;
Chief Mark Raspberry of the
Park Police, Welfare Director
Gerard NJ. Shea, School Supt.
Hobart M. Corning, Mrs. Bessie
Cramer, director of special Serv-
ices in the public schools; Mrs.
Alice c. Sheldon, director of
school attendance and work per-
mitS.
Also, from the Health Depart
ment. DR., Leopold Wexberg and
DR. Ruth Stocking, director and
assistant director, respectively,
of the Mental Health Division;
DR.. Ella Oppenheimer, director
of the Bureau of Maternal and
Child Welfare: Mrs. Josephine
Prescott, director of Public
GHealth Nursing and DR.. Fred
erick c. Heath, acting health di-
rector.
a. NARsRV ~