Evening star., 1934-07-17
D. c. HEADS OPPOSE
LIQUOR IN TAKOMA
Sale of Beer Is Favored.
$50 Attend Hearing
on Appeal.

The District Commissioners are op-
posed to the sale OF hard liquor or
wine in Takoma, D. c.. but see no
reason why sale of beer should not
be permitted.
This position was made known early
this afternoon after the city heads
had conducted a special hearing on
the question OF whether Takoma
should be set aside definitely as a
dry area. Business interests Of the
section seeking approval Of liquor
sales were confronted at the hearing
by determined arguments from resi-
Dental sections against it.
The Commissioners will adhere to
their formerly announced policy
against setting up dry areas as such,
it was said, but will instruct the Al
coholic Beverage Control Board they
feel liquor and wine licenses should
not be granted because of the show
ing OF majority sentiment against
such permits.
Swayed by Congress Act.
In voicing favor of issuance of per-
mits for either the on-sale or ff-sale
of beer. the Commissioners were
swayed by the act of Congress amend
ing the liquor law, making possible
the sale of beer in "non-conforming"
stores in residential areas. That
amendment to the liquor law had
been opposed by the Commissioners
Describing Takoma as a commu-
nifty that is traditionally dry" spokes-
men in delegation of $50 made
vigorous appeal to the Commissioners.
The hearing was enlivened by ap-
plause for points made by the oppo-
nents Of all kinds of liquor licenses in
Takoma and Kisses and laughter for
statements made by proponents OF
license applications.
George E. Sullivan, representing the
Citizens Association of Takoma, D. C.,
opened the case for the establishment
OF rakoma as dry area. He cited
the liquor law as granting authority
to the Commissioners to set aside a
whole area within which no licenses
shall be issued and asked for the
enactment Of the following regulation:
Only Drug Store Sale.
mo license, other than a retailers
license, class E (drug store sale only,
shall be issued for any place within
the section or area bounded on the
north and east by the District line.
on the south by Underwood street
and on the west by Georgia avenue"
Sullivan summarized the reasons
why such a regulation should be
adopted as follows:
Il. The section has always been dry.
20. 1t is part Of a geographical
unit-Takoma Park, D. C.-Md.-which
has always been dry, and constitutes
a single community for many pur-
poses including the holding OF joint
patriotic celebrations.
g. recent survey in Takoma
Park, Md. showed that its residents
wished to keep it dry, and it is being
so kept.
a. A recent survey in Takoma. D.
C., showed similar wishes on the part
of its residents, nearly 1000 adult per-
sons were heard from out of a total
adult population of about 3OOO-a.
per centsge vastly larger than is
heard from in election districts
throughout the United States upon
any subject; 1892 voted to keep Ia
koma Park absolutely dry: $40 voted
for licenses of some character. but
were seriously divided among them
selves, 463 of them favoring sale of
hard liquor. but in bottles only. not
TO be consumed on the premises, and
the other 377 stating they have no
objection to sale of beer and light
wines"
In his address to the Commissioners
Sullivan contended that Takoma Park
was overwhelmingly and trAditionally
a DRY community. In his conclusion
and in response to questions by Com
missioner Hazen. who. with Mai John
G. Gotwals, engineer Commissioner.
conducted the hearing. Sullivan said
that 1t was the hope that Takoma Park
might set a good example to the rest
of the communities if 1t Is set aside ss
a dry area"
Editor Supports Plan.
DR. Francis D. Nichol, associate
editor of the Review and Herald OF
Takoma Park, D. c., and the an
nounced representative of the General
Conference of Seventh Day Adventists,
whose headquarters is at Takoma Park,
D. C.. was the second speaker. He ad-
dressed himself TO the desire of Ia
koms Park to continue as dry COM
munity. The conditions existing up to
the District line, DR.. Nichol pointed
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