RETURN OF BEER

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 184, 2 May 1933, Page 8

RETURN OF BEER

San Francisco Celebrates

A VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS

“InSatt Francisco the morning that the new beer laws came into force was like a miniature Armistic Day. Huge throngs of people trooped along the streets in organised revelry, and the whole city took on an appearance of prosperity,” said Mr. T. W. Rowe, who arrived in Wellington on the Maunganui yesterday morning en route to Sydney. Mr. Rowe represented a Sydney firm on a business trip to Californian cities. The legalised return of beer to the United States had brightened business considerably, Mr. Rowe said. Mushroom firms had stored up barrels by day and by night, working at great pressure, and their only fear was that they might not have an adequate supply when the big day came. ■When the clocks struck the hour of midnight on April 6, the people simply went: mad. The streets of San Francisco surged with throngs of men and women, who followed lorries carrying kegs of beer with the slogan: “Happy days are here again.” Every eating-house, said Mr. Rowe, was allowed by the new laws to sell beer without, restriction except as to strength. There were no set times for opening and closing, and the trade was continuous, day and night Considering that beer-drinking had been illegal for the past fourteen years. Sir. Rowe concluded, (he celebration of its return was very restrained. Highspirited revelry and jollity was. of course, the keynote of the day’s proceedings, but little abuse of the new freedom was noticeable. Admittedly the beer, although excellent stuff, was weak, being only 3.2 per cent, alcohol.