At UCLA's new faculty center, there are three lounges for men — and two for women.

Confidential File

Drinking Can Become Overly Free and Easy

I
know that this will come as a shock to my many fine-feathered drinking
companions but I'm forming an alliance with the Women's Christian
Temperance Union.

It'll be a brief one, I suppose.

In the first place, the girls from WCTU and I just don't have enough in common to make it a lengthy affair.

Secondly,
I'm a slightly built boy, and carrying heavy placards denouncing Devil
Drink wouldn't do me any good in the sacroiliac.

But if they're willing to overlook my rather notorious past and take me in for a while, I'd like to be on their side.

It's
about a matter currently being kicked around in Sacramento. A matter
called SB 1093 — a Senate bill which is advertised as a piece of
legislation to remove the 1 to 1 1/2-mile liquor sale ban around
universities and state colleges.

The WCTU had its
representatives in the state capital spouting gloomy warnings that
passage of 1093 would destroy the right of parents "to send their
children to schools without cocktails."

But last week, with
amazing efficiency, the upper house shot the bill through. Now, it
appears that it'll get the same speedy ride in the Assembly.

And now, after checking a little more deeply into the proposal, I'm beginning to wonder why.

If the bill were merely to decide the questions, "Should students walk or ride to the nearest pub?" I'd say let them walk.

But the law which our solons suddenly want to wipe off the books decided a lot more than that.

It
included in its ban certain types of institutions and hospitals where
it would be dangerous, or at least, ill-advised, to have bars and
liquor stores at the premises' gates.

Among those currently protected is the Veterans Administration facility at Sawtelle, which houses nearly 6,000 men.

Col. Robert Brigham, manager of the facility, pointed out to me yesterday that Sawtelle "is a hospital, not a jail."

There
are hundreds of old men there whose medical progress could be badly
hurt if beer joints and bars and liquor stores were strategically
spotted around its perimeter.

Property owners in Westwood Villiage and Brentwood,
near UCLA, have fought for years to keep their areas free from cheap
taverns and bars. By state law, this area would be opened up. So would
the areas around SC,Pepperdine and dozens of other schools.

If
I were naive, I'd be amazed at why our elected representatives were so
anxious to enact legislation which hinders more than helps the welfare
of the people.

Locales for Beelzebub's Broth

The only persons who'll gain are those who jump
in and grab off the choice locations for bars or liquor stores. I'm
aware that some of the individuals who've been lobbying the bill
through have the best intentions of putting up nice cocktail bars in
restaurants or hotels.

According to the bill, the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board will have the authority to refuse applications,
more or less arbitrarily, within the immediate vicinity of colleges and
institutions.

Under the present ABC administration, this might be fine. But the new law will be on the books for a long time.

I guess our solons figure there'll be no more Bill Bonellis around in the future.

I wish I could be that certain.