Evening star., 1934-02-14
MEREDITH NAMED
DISTRICT LIQUOR
BOARD SECRETARY
Commissioners Announce
Appointment of Son of
Ex-Representative.
REMAINDER OF STAFF
is NOT YET SELECTED
Decision on Laws Chain Store
License Limit Is Passed On
to Congress.

Appointment of William P Meredith,
for IS years a resident of the District,
as secretary to the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board, was announced this
afternoon by the Commissioners.
Meredith is son of Elisha Mere
dith. who was a Representative in
Congress from the eighth district of
Virginia during Cleveland's admins
tration.
The Commissioners said Meredith's
appointment had been indorsed by
numerous political leaders. including
Judge Howard Smith, Virginia Rep
resentative.
Other Appointments Delayed.
At the same time, however, the sp-
pointment of the remainder of the
staff of the A. B. c. Board still was
being delayed and mystery surrounded
the reason for inaction This has
caused considerable surprise. since the
Civil Service Commission last Friday
turned down request by the Com
miSsioners that they be permitted to
name the staff of the board outside
of civil service eligible lists.
Announcement of Meredith's ap-
pointment was made an hour after
the Commissioners had paid a visit
to the executive Offices at the White
House where they conferred for some
time with Marvin Mcintyre, one Of
the Presidents secretaries.
Both Commissioners Hazen and
Allen declined to state the reason for
their call at the White House. At
the District Building it was presumed
the visit was related to the Liquor
Board matter.
Statement Indicated.
Allen indicated he might have a
statement later in the day in regard
TO the other appointments, but de-
clined to say what question was in
volved 1t is known. however, that
political pressure for appointment of
candidates sponsored by political
Headers has not diminished since the
Civil Service Commission announced
its decision last week.
Meredith, a resident of Washington
since 1908, has been engaged as a real
estate investor and in the insurance
business. He maintains an Office at
110S Sixteenth street and resides at
an apartment house at Fifteenth and
U streets.
He is member of the board Of d.
rectors of the Chevy Chase Club and
the Racquet Club
Decision as to whether chain stores
should be permitted to obtain Dis
trict liquor licenses for any number
of their units here is to be left to the
discretion of Congress and will not
be the subject of a recommendation
by the Commissioners.
This decision was reached at con-
ference between Corporation Counsel
w w. Bride, representing the Dis
trict Commissioners. and Attorney
General Homer S. Cummings.
The conference was held as a result
Of recommendations made by the
Attorney General for amendments to
the District liquor law. which were
made public recently by President
Roosevelt.
Congress Inserted Provision.
Bride was to inform Congressional
leaders today that there was no pro-
vision in the original District liquor
measure as drafted by the Com
missioners holding each chain store
organization to a license for only one
store, but provision to that effect
was inserted by Congress.
1t was reported the Attorney Cen
eral has withdrawn his suggestion
that there be an amendment to the
law relating to a code Of fair COM
petition in the liquor business.
1t was decided to suggest to Con-
gress a clarification of the definition
of solicitor so as to remove the
possibility of an individual purchaser
OF liquor being claSsed as a solicitor.
The Attorney General has been
convinced, 1t was said, that the pres
ent provision of the liquor law re-
lating to the property owners objec-
ton rule was properly phrased. That
rule prescribes that licenses may not
be issued where the owners of a ma
jority of the property within 500 feet
OF proposed establishment, in resi-
Dental areas, file written protest.
The labelling provision in the liquor
law would be eliminated under the
recommendation to be made by Bride
I 1t was pointed out labelling rules are
contemplated by the Federal Alcohol
Control Administration.
1t was decided to recommend clari-
flcation of the rule that members or
employees of the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board may not own stock in
concerns interested in the liquor busi-
ness to the extent that this would
not bar member or employe of the
board holding shares in, for instance,
railroads. I.. ..