Licensing Board Refuses to Grant Permit to Serve Liquor at Smoker

For the first time in its long history the Freshman Smoker is going to be dry. The local Board of License Commissioners, which is responsible to the State Alcoholic Beverage Commission, yesterday turned down the Smoker Committee's bid for a license on the grounds that the beer would be consumed by minors.

The decision of the three-man board, composed of Cambridge Chief of Police Patrick Ready, Fire Chief John Collins, and John Quinn, is in line with the general crack-down on the practice of serving liquor to minors which has been enforced this fall by the A.B.C. Local liquor establishments and especially Cronin's were the first to feel pressure from the Commissioners in mid-November.

The Smoker Committee announced yesterday that it will continue to try to get the beer in some other legal way.

Doubts Possibility

Commissioner Quinn last night declared that he thought that this would be impossible. Liquor stores, he said, would think twice about selling large amounts of beer; they would be held legally responsible if it was served to minors.

The only large scale beer party held in the College so far this term was given by Adams House tutors for the House occupants. Failing to get a license from the board, the tutors simply went ahead and bought the necessary liquor. They got away with it without any trouble.

The Smoker, traditionally held in February, has been scheduled this year for March 10. This move was necessitated by the fact that Memorial Hall and Sanders Theatre were completely booked all next month.