Evening star., 1934-07-26
Referendum Would Be Held
September Is if City
Heads Approve.
CENSUS OF RESIDENTS
WOULD PRECEDE VOTING
Ballots to Provide Three Choices
Dry Area, Beer and Light Wines
and No Restrictions.

A referendum in Takoma, D. C., on
the question of whether the residents
do or do not favor the sale Of liquor
will be proposed to the Board Of Com
missioners tomorrow by Commissioner
George E. Allen. This is the latest in
the series of moves dealing with pc
tition of citizens of Takoma to have
that section of the city declared a dry
area under the terms of the alcohol
control act was announced by Allen
last night. AT the same time he an
nounced a series Of suggested steps to
be taken in conducting the refer
endum.
The Commissioners have already
held a public hearing on the subject.
and the A. B. c. Board has canvassed
the neighborhood in order to discover
what community sentiment is. At the
hearing the Commissioners inform
ally announced their intention of al
lowing the sale of beer, but not wine
or liquor, in Takoma. This in
formation, however, had never been
officially transmitted to the A. B. c.
Board, and as the case now stands, the
proposal for a referendum vote is in
tended as substitute. If the Board
of Commissioners approves, then it is
the plan to hold the referendum on
September 5.
Authority in Section. IA (a)
The vote is to be taken on author
ity Of section IA (a) of the alcohol
control act, which says: Before a
license is issued the board shall satisfy
itself that the place for which
the license is to be issued is an appro-
pirate one, considering the character
of the premises, its surroundings and
the wishes of the persons residing or
owning property in the neighborhood
for which the license is desired" And,
also. section Z, which provides that
1.-The Commissioners shall have specific
authority to forbid the issuance
of licenses for manufacture, sale or
storage of alcoholic beverages in such
localities in. and such sections and
portions of, the District of Columbia
as they may deem proper in the pub
lie interest Different regula-
tions may be prescribed for different
localities of sections or portions Of
the District of Columbia"
According to Aliens plan, which
was drafted for him by Corporation
Counsel E. Barrett Prettyman, it is
proposed to set up ballot boxes in
schools and other public places in the
area east of Georgia avenue, north of
Van Buren street to the B. & o.
Railroad to Tuckerman street to the
District Line.
Census to Be Taken.
Before the date set for the vote,
a census of the persons residing in
that district will be taken by persons
on the relief rolls. The district will
be divided into precincts, and lists
of voters qualified by residence will be
made from the census for each pre-
cinct. On the day of the voting, the
ballot boxes will be guarded by police
men, judges and clerks, the judges
and clerks to be District employees
volunteering their services.
The Board of Elections will prob
ably consist of Mr.. ,Prettyman, Capt.
Hugh Dram, director of inspection,
and George w. Offutt, chairman of
the A. B. c. Board.
One day prior to the election will
probably be set aside as day for
challenges and additions, on which
any resident may challenge the reg
iStration of any prospective voter, or
cause the addition to the lists of any
properly qualified resident whose
name has been omitted.
Ballots to Be Printed.
Printed or mimeographed ballots
will be provided. carrying three lines:
l. For dry area.
2. For licenses for beer and light
wines only.
3. For unrestricted licenses.
1t is planned to give the widest
possible publicity in advance of the
referendum, and one of the steps
contemplated is distribution to each
house in the area of leaflets announc-
ing the referendum and giving an
official description of the questions
upon which the vote will be taken.
Commissioner Allen said that he
had spoken briefly about his plan to
Commissioner Hazen and believed
that the board would give its consent
to the holding of the election as
planned.