Liquor Clerks Deny Sales to Local Minors

Cambridge liquor store employees yesterday denied that they have knowingly been selling to minors. Asked how teenagers were getting their liquor, one clerk commented, "Its not coming from us."

Clerks at the Varsity Liquor Store, the Harvard Provision Company, Hamilton's and Sage's stressed that they demand identification: either a birth certificate, driver's license, or service discharge papers from all customers who appear to be under 21.

One salesman at the Harvard Provision Company did admit that in the past more than a few minors have probably been getting liquor there. He explained that although they have been careful to ask identification from those who don't look 21 they can't demand it from everybody about whom they have the slightest doubt. "It would slow up business too much." he commented.

Demand Identification

The practice in the past, the salesman explained, has been to let a customer have his liquor if he says be is 21 and looks as though he could be. He added that due to the crackdown announced by Chief Patrick F. Ready on Monday, the store's owner had ordered all clerks to demand identification from anyone who could conceivably be a minor. "You can't afford to be lax with a license at stake," he said.