Women Barred From Taverns

Governor Sargent signed into law Wednesday an act that will prevent women from being served in taverns until Jan. 1. 1973.

The act was "inadvertently included in the Public Accommodation Bill which says where women can and can't go." State Representative C. Vincent Shea, sponsor of the act, said.

"I have nothing against women." Shea said. "Taverns cater to men only. No decent ordinary respectable woman would want to go into one of these places."

Cafes and restaurants usually serve food, whereas taverns do not. Tavern licenses cost about half as much as cafe licenses.

"If taverns served women they would have to put in an extra lavatory if they didn't have the facilities," Shea said.