Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-04
PUBLICITY DELAYS
LICENSING OF INNS
Prince Georges County Pro-
prietors Slow in Making
Applications.
BY GEORGE PORTER.
staff Correspondent of The Star.

UPPER MARLBORO, Md, June A.
Apparently disquieted over the unfavor-
able publicity given their establishments
following the gunplay and murder in
two of them in recent months, the pro-
prietors of Prince Georges County road
houses are backward in applying for
the necessary licenses to continue oper-
atoms required under the new law
which went into effect June l.
Only about week remains in which
to file application for the licenses, yet
none of the proprietors has as yet
taken steps to secure them 1t was re-
Georges County Commissioners yester-
day.
AS the law requires applicants to pub
lish their intention of securing a road
house license in paper published in
the county at least two weeks prior to
the granting of the license, and as the
licenses must be obtained by July /.
James C. Blackwell, clerk to the county
commissioners, points out that road
house proprietors have barely week in
which to file applications.
Opens Way for Objections.
This publication of intention to OBJ
tain roadhouSe licenses is for the pur-
pose of giving all persons having objec-
tons to the issuance of the license to
file protests or appear before the county
commissioners. who will conduct hear
ing on the matter in much the same
fashion hearings are now conducted on
applications for coming changes. After
such hearings, the county heads are
given authority under the new law to
issue or refuse to grant the license or,
In the case where licenses have already
been issued to revoke them.
In publishing intention to secure q
roadhouse license the law requires that
given and the exact nature of the bust
ness conducted there be stated.
Protests Looked For.
1t is expected several protests against
the licensing of some of the roadhouses
will be received, as at least two groups
have previously voiced opposition to the
conduct of such businesses in their
community.
Last week, following the shooting at
the Prince Georges Inn, formerly the
Rams Horn Inn. on Queen Chapel
road, the Mount Rainier Citizens Asso-
citation, in a vigorous resolution de-
nouncing the county's roadhouses as
public nuisances," went on record as
specifically opposed to the further
licensing of that particular establish
ment, while short time after Wesley
Poutra was fatally shot in Green Gables
a delegation of citizens from Suitland
journeyed to Annapolis to urge that a
stringent roadhouSe law be adopted by
the General Assembly.
All protests of citizens against the
issuance of licenses and arguments by
proprietors in favor of such action will
be heard by the commissioners at their
meeting on June rs, according TO Black
well.
Number in Doubt.
Just how many establishments in the
county should be classified as road
houses under the new bill neither the
county clerk nor the sheriff could state.
1t is claimed, however, that a strict
check-up will be made on any estab-
nshment found to be operating without
license and prosecuted under the new
law, which provides penalty of not
less than $50 nor more than $500 fine
for persons convicted Of violation of the
statute.
Proprietors who are tardy in filing
their applications-that Is, those who
do not publish their intention two
weeks before the hearing of June as
will be forced to discontinue dancing
at their establishments If they wish to
escape convictions, 1t was pointed out,
The bill as adopted by the Legisla-
ture makes it unlawful to maintain or
operate a roadhouse, restaurant, lunch
room. cafe, inn, hotel or club for profit,
where public dancing is permitted more
than once a week, without securing q
permit from the county commissioners.
fee of 500 is charged for the per-
init and specification made in the law
that this money shall be paid the road
committee in the district in which the
roadhouSe is located, or, if in an incor-
porated town, to the township for use
in street improvements.