Evening star., 1934-08-30
Corporation Counsel Ready
to Meet Lawyers for
VETS in Court.
PERMIT SEEKERS HEAD
MAY SEEK INJUNCTION
Drys Add 800 Names to List of
Those Eligible to Vote and
VETS Submit 246.

Although a question has been raised
as to the authority of the Commits
sioners to stage a referendum on is
suance of liquor licenses in Takcma,
D. c., Corporation Counsel E. Bar
rett Prettyman proceeded with plans
for the voting on September IL, fully
convinced the Commissioners are act
ing within their authority.
The applicants for licenses for
places in Takoma-a section which
has been dry for a half century
placed their case in the hands Of
William E. Leahy, attorney. Leshy
has raised the question of whether
the Commissioners acted properly in
assigning emergency works employees
to make canvas of the neighborhood
to register voters and to pay the cost
of printing necessary ballots. He said
today he had not determined whether
he would seek an injunction in Dis
trict Supreme Court to halt the refer
endum.
Ready to Meet Lawyers.
Prettyman said he had not been in
formed Of any plans of the vets to
halt the referendum, but said if such
a move was made, 81 will be glad to
meet the lawyers in court"
He said the Commissioners have the
duty under the liquor law to determine
the wishes of a resident of COM
munity on the questioning of issuing
permits, among other things.
Petitions filed by opposing Takoma
factions some time ago showed a ma
jority opposing licenses, but both sides
claim that the other had persons i'm
properly listed in their petitions. For
this reason Commissioner George E.
Allen suggested the holding of refer
endum.
There can be no argument about
use Of the emergency works employees
to make the canvass, Prettyman de-
clared, because If they had not been
assigned to that work they would have
been engaged on some other white
collar project and would have been
paid just the same.
Printing Cost SIS.
Prettyman estimated the cost of
printing the ballots at about $25.
Since the District is required to ascer-
tain the sentiment of community
where there is a contest over issuance
Of licenses, he regards this question
of cost as inconsequential.
Yesterday, the deadline for the fl
ing of additional names Of eligible
voters, representatives of both sides
placed new lists in the hands OF
Prettyman. The drys added about
300 additional names and the vets
246. District employees are making a
careful check of the additions to as
certain if persons listed are really
eligible to vote.
Twelve persons who have died since
1888 have been found listed in the
original registration list compiled by
the Emergency Works Employees who
made the Takoma canvass. The cor
poration counsel said some of these
were discovered by his Office and some
were reported by applicants for IL
censes and some by the opposing dry
leaders.
Names Eliminated.
Such names have been eliminated
from the list, of course, Prettyman
said The names of dead persons
found their way into the list, he said,
because as the base for the making
of the registration the canvassers took
names from the 1888 Takoma Direc-
tory. To eliminate such mistakes, he
said, the tentative registration list
was posted in Takoma and opposing
factions were asked to check the list
and to report needed changes.
Next Tuesday is the deadline for
the filing with the Corporation Coun-
sci of challenges of any names on
the list of voters. The Board of
Electors, consisting of Prettyman,
George w. Offutt, chairman of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board,
and Capt. Hugh P. Dram, director of
inspection, will be in session Friday
and Saturday of next week to pass
iIdCmnnt On oil contaStad casas