Evening star., 1937-09-08
PROTESTS DELAY
: LIQUOR LICENSE
IN PETWORTH AREA
Churches and Civic GROUPS
Press Fight Against
Rossiter Permit.
BOARD "CONTINUES"
CASE INDEFINITELY
Matter Will Get No Further
Action Unless One of Parties
Reopens 1t.

The food of protests against grant,
ing liquor license to Leo j. Rossiter
for his restaurant at 4132 Georgia
avenue today resulted in postpone
ment, at least, In approval of the per-
nit
George w. Offutt. chairman of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, at
the conclusion of a second hearing on
the case this morning, announced that
by agreement between opposing sides
the case would be continued" He
said this meant the board would take
no action unless either Rossiter or the
protestants-among whom are school,
church and civic leaders and prop
erty owners-come in with an appli-
cation to reopen the case
Chairman Palmisano of the House
District Committee is said to be sup
porting issuance of the permit The
Board of Education yesterday regis
tered It's protest and this was filed
with the A. B. c. board today.
More than a score of residents or
at this mornings hearing against per-
mitting sale of hard liquor at the
place, which now has beer and wine
license.
Principal Opposes II.
Miss May Paul Bradshaw, principal
of Roosevelt High School, said the
vicinity of Roosevelt, Macfarland
Junior High School and the Petworth
Elementary School was a large educa-
tional center that should be protected.
She said children and adults made
use of the schools from 8 am. to
IL pm. and that sale of liquor at the
restaurant would bring more outsiders
TO the sector.
Others who appeared to oppose issu-
snce of the permit were Mrs. Florence
Craver, 1l6 Varnum street, speaking
for the teachers of the Petworth Ele-
mentary School: Rev. r. L.. Wood,
Petworth Methodist Episcopal Church.
and Merrill C. Lank. Epworth League.
H. o. Craver also presented six stu
dents of Roosevelt and Macfarland
who voiced objections. Questioned by
Albert Levin, attorney for Rossiter.
they said they did not eat in his
establishment.
Rossiter said he asked for the liquor
license because of an increased de-
mand from his customers for cocktails.
The School Board, meeting for the
first time since the Summer recess,
had voted unanimously to op-
pose the license after hearing protests
from 70 Petworth citizens.
The citizens delegation. headed bv
James G. Yaden. former president of
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, and Craver chairman of
the Committee on Education of the
Petworth Citizens Association. in
cluded representatives of the Wallace
Memorial United Presbyterian Church,
the Petworth Baptist Church and Pet
worth M. e. Church, the parent
teacher associations of the three
schools in the area, the Petworth
Womans Club, young peoples groups
and property owners.
File Protests With A. b. c. Board.
Each representative said his or her
protest already had been filed with
the A. B. c. Board.
Several other applica tions for LIQUOR
licenses were considered by the board
Formerly the boards opinion in such
cases was based on the proximity of
the license-seekers' establishments. a
distance Of 400 feet being set as
minimum. In their actions yesterday.
however. the board took up the oues-
tions from the standpoint of the effect
such establishments would have on
children attending schools in the
vicinity.
1t lodged protests against granting
licenses 10 John A. Waters, 1927 U
street, but voted TO enter no protest
against issuance of liquor license to
the Footlight Club. l84s Seventh
street. Action on two other cases was
deferred pending further investigation.