Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-30
MONTGOMERY DRY
LAW HELD MODEL
Similar Measure Passed for
HoWard-Senate Rejects
Petition Proposal.


ANNAPOLIS. Md, March 30
Montgomery Countys dry law, as
amended at this session OF the Legls-
lature and now a part of the law,
was held up as a model dry law for
the counties of the State in the House
of Delegates yesterday by Roger V.
Iaynor of E,lkridge, Howard County,
and DIR. George l.. Edmunds. Rock
vile. chairman of the Montgomery
County delegation. But these state
ments provoked long debate, during
which it was charged that efforts
were being made to pussyfoot State
wide Cry law under the guise of local
self-government for the counties. At
the time the Montgomery County dry
law was passed at this session it was
heralded by the Montgomery delega-
ton as a recognition by the State
Legislature of Montgomery right to
local self government.
The House had just received re-
port from Mr.. Laynor on dry law
for Howard County, which adjoins
Montgomery County on the north. 1t
contained an amendment which would
have stricken out the provisions of
the Senate bill, on which report was
being made. and substituted therefore
Montgomery CCunty's dry law, which,
Mr.. Laynor said, was a model.
Defends Montgomery Law.
DIR. Edmunds said that it gave him
great pleasure to second the motion
of Mr.. Laynor that the favorable re-
port, with amendments, be adopted.
He said that Montgomery County had
the best local option law on the stat
ute books of the State Of Maryland.
He said that Howard County adjoined
Montgomery County, its people had
the same interests as Montgomery
and they intertradnu. and Montgom-
cry would be pleased TO have its
neighboring county have law sim
liar to that of Montgomery. He said
that he would be derelict in his duty
had he not seconded the motion in
favor of the Howard County dry law.
-he Howard County dry bill, said
Delegate John G. Callan of the sec
ond legislative district of Baltimore,
clearly indicated the tactics that were
being followed by certain members of
the House. He said that they were
opposed to q Statewide bill, and yet
each and every county would be COM
ing in with it's own bill. and under
the guise of local selfgovernment
would in effect put over a Statewide
dry law.
He challenged the members to
come out in the open if they wanted
Statewide dry legislation. and not to
try to sneak in under the guise Of
local self-goyernment. Because 1t
was modelled after the Montgomery
County dry bill is no license for it's
passage, he said.
Provisions of Bill Assailed.
Fendall Marbury, second Baltimore
district, said that. while the measure
was somewhat similar to the Mont
fxy 10 hod
a number of Objectionable features,
one Of which he named being the
provision that il one was found with
half a pint Of liquor in an automobile
it created legal presumption that
the person had it for sale. The Legis-
lature might just as well start now.
he said, and change all the legal pre-
sumptions, and, for instance, say that
II a man was found with pistol by
his side he was legally presumed to
have committed murder. He also
found fault with the PROVISION that a
justice Of the peace must issue a
search warrant Tor examination of
premises on demand Of officials. but
the proposed law does not require the
warrant to specify the articles to be
sought in the search.
When Mr.. Laynor was detailing the
amendments to the bill he said it was
proposed to strike out a provision
contained in the Montgomery County
law, prohibiting the carrying Of liquor
In cars equipped with smoke screens
or containing firearms, adding, in
answer to a question from the floor,
that the people Of Howard County
did not think it necessary to stop the
carrying of liquor under such cir
cumstances.
Amended Report Adopted.
Callan, taking the floor again, said
there were now three kinds Of dele
gates in the present House, reasona-
BILE vets, reasonable drys and pussy
footers. He said there was no con-
nection or similarity between the
Montgomery County law and the bill.
pending for Howard County.
Speaker Lee, in explaining his vote,
said the House knew and every one
knew that he was on record as
willing to vote on any legislation to
repeal the Volstead act. or any other
wet legislation that the committee saw
At to report out. He said Montg0m-
cry County had model law and that
law created no liability for any one
carrying or transporting liquor un-
less it was for sale.
The House adopted the favorable
report, with amendments, by a vote
OF Sc to 40.
The House of Delegates last night
put a brake on county dry bills, when
by a vote of 81 to so it refused to
pass local option bill for Washington
County. Speaker Lee voted against
this BILL but did not publicly attempt
to explain his vote as he did before
being recorded on the other measure.
Wet Amendment Defeated.
Wet legislation received set back
when the Senate yesterday voted
down. IA to IL, a joint resolution which
would petition the United States Con-
gress to leave with the States the right
to determine what percentage of alco-
hol in beverages was intoxicating.
strong fight was made for the
measure in the debate, by Senator JOS
eph Allen Coad, democrat, of Leonard
town, ST. MaryS County. He told the
upper house that this resolution was
The Columbia /