Evening star., 1953-03-18
Group Reaches
Compromise on
Bill
Power to Regulate
Drinking Would Go
To Commissioners
By Charles 6. Brooks

A compromise was reached to-
day by a House District subcom-
mittee on the after-hours club
control bill which would give the
Commissioners power to regulate
the hours and days for consump-
ton of alcohol in licensed clubs.
Chairman Kearns, of the SUBJ
committee on Public Service,
Streets and Traffic, announced
after an executive session this
morning that the bill unGoubt-
edly would be reported out Of
committee tomorrow morning.
He predicted there would be
virtually no opposition in pass
ing it through the House.
Mr.. Kearns, in describing final
wording of the measure, de-
clared ut would still put the
Illegally operated clubs out Of
business" thereby stamping out
the bottle club racket in the Dis
trict.
To Set Senate Hearings.
Meanwhile, the Senate Dis
trict' Committee is expected to
schedule hearings shortly, with
the House committees bill as q
basis on which to work.
The House measure, intro
duced by Mr.. Kearns, Repub-
lican. of Pennsylvania, would
license all bottle clubs and bring
them under strict supervision of
the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board. A 5000 license fee would
be imposed.
It is expected the Board Of
Commissioners would allow the
clubs to operate after midnight
Saturdays, but not necessarily
all night. The consumption
licenses in no way affect the
closing Of bars on Saturdays at
midnight.
Moral Turpitude Role Cited.
Although the Commissioners
would not be granted the power
to discriminate between legiti-
mately operated establishments
and those operated for a private
profit, the ABC boards moral
turpitude regulations would be
expected to prevent the licens-
ing of clubs such as the new
sos &c street N.W) Club now
operated by Albert B. Glickfield.
Glickf1eld's bottle club opened
up shortly after his old Down.
town Club at the same spot was
closed by Federal Court order.
Before that, the Gold Key Club
later closed by the courts
operated there.
The Kearns measure was urged
by United States Attorney
Charles M. Irelan, who opened
the Districts war on the Crime
breeding" clubs; Police Chief
Robert v. Murray, Corporation
Counsel Vernon West, ABC
Board Chairman Allan Payne
and other local officials.
Point to Restriction.
Last week, however, a snag
developed when committee mem
bers pointed out that the pro-
posed bill would restrict legiti.
mate clubs, such as the Touch
down, Variety. Sphinx and the
Arts Club Of Washington.
This morning, representatives
of those clubs were heard at the
invitation of the committee.
The subcommittee compro-
mise still would restrict those le-
Ultimately restricted clubs, Just
as the "clip Joint" will be con-
trolled. However, it was pointed
out today, the legitimate estab-
IShments do not operate all
night as the others do. nor do
they operate for a profit.
Testifying today were:
Leonard Walsh, attorney, rep.
resenting the Touchdown Club.
who told the committee restric.
ton OF the hours Of liquor con.
sumption and prohibition of con-
sumption on Sundays would put
his charitable organization out
OF business. The club, he con-
tinued, holds a weekly buffet
Sunday nights after ball games.
He urged the committee to strike
out passages pertaining to hours
and days when alcoholic bev-
erages may be served.
Victor ]. Orsinger, president
OF the Variety Club, who asked
that the legitimate clubs be
exempted from provisions of the
bill. He said his organization.
composed primarily of enter
tainers and show people, must
often operate after hours to carry
out its functions. 'Tf pro-
hibited from these operations. /"
he continued. I'VE would be put
out Of business"
Frederick Wilken, secretary Of
the Almas Temples Sphinx Club.
who declared the group holds an
annual New Years eve party
which lasts after hours, but that
seldom do the clubs other func-
tionS continue past the closing
hours for bars and restaurants.
Walter s. Studdiford, presi-
dent Of the Arts Club Of WASH
ington, who declared his group
often entertains artists and holds
lectures, at which time wines and
other alcoholic beverages are fire.
quently served ON Sundays.
Representatives Of all the le.
gitimate clubs, however, de-
clared their groups were fully
behind the objective Of the
KearnS bill, which is to wipe
out crime in the District.