Evening star., 1933-12-10
maryland PASSES
|. FIRM LIQUOR LAWS
WoIators Can Expect Heavy
Fines or Imprisonment in
/. Some Cases. IN
Continued From First Page.)

penalties for violations of that section.
Under the Montgomery County law,
any member Of the Liquor Control
Board who is found to have any finan-
cial interest or derives any profit other
than his salary from the purchase or
sale Of beverages through the county
dispensary. is subject to a $4,000 fine
or IL years imprisonment, or both.
The Montgomery law also bans the
operation of distilleries In that county
without the approval Of the Board OF
License Commissioners, while the laws
of Garrett, Kent, Talbot. Caroline and
Somerset Counties specifically prohibit
the locating of any distilleries in those
jurisdictions.
Applicant NfuA Post Notice.
Operation of retail whisky stores
without licenses Is rendered virtually
impossible in Prince Georges and sew
eral other counties, under a section of
the act which requires an applicant
for license to post sign so stating
on a conspicuous place on the prem
ises involved at least 10 days before a
hearing on the application Is held
This must be posted in addition to the
regular newspaper advertising.
Opponents of the license also are
afforded ample time to learn Of the
applicants intentions and file protests
as result of the inclusion of that
section in the law
Broad powers for inspections and
license revocations also have been
placed in the hands of license boards
and enforcement officers.
The State controller or the Board of
License Commissioners of any county,
or their agents. are authorized under
the, act to inspect and search, without
warrants, at all hours. any building or
premises on which alcoholic beverages
are sold and any evidence discovered
during these inspections is admissible
In court as evidence in the event of
prosecution for violations of the law.
Hydrometers Will Be Used.
In addition, the State controller Is
empowered to authorize his deputies to
use hydrometers and other instruments
for ascertaining the quantity Of alcohol
in any beverage in order to prevent and
detect frauds by manufacturers and
wholesalers.
required to keep record of all sales
to retail dealers, and retail dealers are
required to keep record Of all pur-
chases, and the records will be open
to the inspection of the State controller
or his deputies during all regular busi-
ness hours.
Both wholesalers and manufacturers
are required to report purchases or
sales to the controller whenever de-
manded. and any one who fails to COM
ply with those provisions is subject to
the revocation or suspension of their
license, after being given a hearing.
StH restrictions also have been
placed on taverns in the interest of
enforcement. Taverns engaged in the
sale Of liquor or other alcoholic bev-
erages must have one or more plain
glass windows opening on the street
in such a manner that persons stand
ing on the ground can observe the in
terror at all hours during which sales
are prohibited. and no curtain, blind or
other obstruction can be placed before
the window. In addition, they must
have an entrance facing the street
open at all hours during which sales
are made.
County Boards Have Authority.
County boards are authorized to in
sert in the law any regulation of their
own making deemed necessary for en-
forcement. while the boards of license
commissioners in the various jurisdic-
tions are empowered to suspend or re-
woke licenses for the following reasons:
Conviction of violations of any pro-
vision of the State law.
Failure or refusal to comply with
any regulation adopted by the County
Liquor Board.
Making a false statement in appli-
cation for a license.
For two or more convictions of one
or more of the licensees clerks.
Possession of beverages on which the
tax has not been paid.
Failure to maintain the required rec
ord system.
Possession of any beverage the
licensee is not authorized to sell.
Barred Forever by Forfeiture.
The hcensee, after revocation of his
license, is forever prohibited from OBJ
tanning any other license under the
State law, while no persons shall be
entitled to obtain license for opera
tton on the same premises until six
months after the revocation is ordered
Persons who have been suspended by
License Bureau for a hearing. The
Governor also is empowered, under the
bill, to remove any member of a license
board for misconduct after a hearing.
The bill may gain even added
strength along another line if a bill
introduced in the House by Delegate
Oliver Metzerott of Prince Georges
County is adopted. 1t would provide a
fine of not less than SIS nor more than
SIS or Imprisonment of from 10 to 80
days for drinking on highways.