Evening star., 1938-03-27
LEADERS OPPOSE
A. B. c. BILL CHANGE
PaImiSano Amendment Seen
Curtai|ing Neighborhood
Rights of Citizens.

The Committee on Civic Affairs
OF the Washington Federation of
Churches has added its support to
the growing sentiment against the
proposed amendment to the District
Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, under
which an applicant for a liquor
license would need only the consent
OF property owners within radius
Of 900 feet of his property.
The committees definite opposition
to the suggested change was voiced
by Wilbur La Roe, jr., its chairman,
in letter to Chairman Palmisano
of the House District Committee, who
has introduced bill embodying the
proposal.
quite obviously" Mr.. La Roe wrote,
'the purpose of your amendment is
to facilitate the spreading of liquor
stores into residential areas in spite
Of opposition of property owners and
residents. Taking for illustration a
community like Chevy Chase or Ia
koma Park, there is very small
shopping District which serves people
within a radius of mile or more. All
of these people have a legitimate in
terest in the character of the shop
ping district. Your bill bars from
consideration all people who are not
located within 600 feet of the place.
Even a church owning property two
blocks away from a proposed liquor
store would have no voice under your
amendment.
Attitude Resented.
II want you to know that your
attitude on this and similar matters
is deeply resented by a decided ma
Jority of the people residing in our
residential area. We propose to fight
your amendment to the limit and
we ask that you assign the matter for
hearing and give us due notice"
Mr.. La Roe wrote to Chairman
Palmisano after receiving a written
protest against the proposal from w.
H. Parsons, secretary of the Takoma
ID. c. Citizens Association, who
cited long efforts of his association,
in conjunction with the w. C. T. u,
in showing the A. B. c. Board over
Whelmlng sentiment in Takoma
against issuance of licenses.
Declaring if the bill is enacted such
protests doubtless will have little
weight with the board, Mr.. Parsons
added:
In fact, if the board should deny
q license on the grounds of protests
Of people not within 600-foot radius,
the applicant might successfully at
tack its action in the courts under
this amendment"
He said an official of the A. B. c.
Board stated the bill is aimed at stu
ations existing in Petworth and Ia
koma and other areas, where citizens
have protested. The official, he added,
also admitted he favored the bill be-
cause it would tighten the burden of
the board.
Washington civic leaders yesterday
were generally critical of the proposed
amendment.
Under the present act an applicant
must be acceptable to persons residing
or owning land lin the neighborhood
OF the premises for which the license
is desired" or in other words, to the
community in general
Views Of Mr.. Loveless.
Samuel B. Loveless, president of the
Sixteenth Street Heights Citizens As
sociation, took vigorous issue with the
proposal, declaring the issuance of a
liquor license was definitely of concern
to community property holders in gen.
eral and not only to those within a
6O0-foot radius.
Il am strongly opposed to any pro-
posal which will curtail the rights of
property holders in Washington" he
said. They have few enough as it is
and any further curtailment would be
heaplng abuse upon abuse
Mr.. Loveless said his group has not
acted on the question, but felt sure
they were In accord with his views.
Winthrop G. Batchelder, president
OF the large Chevy Chase Citizens AS
sociation, declared he also was op-
posed to a proposal that would limit
"nelghborhood" rights in connection
with issuance of liquor licenses.
MIR. Batchelder said he could not
speak for the association, but person.
ally thought the amendment "a very
bad thing"
Also lining up in opposition to the
amendment was Mrs. Grace D. Elgen,
president of the Mount Pleasant Citi-
eens' Association.
William A. Maio, chairman of the
Southeast Council and president of the
Southeast Citizens Association, said
he had not studied the proposal, but
that the 600-foot clause sounded all
right to him.
I'm general" he said, that would
conform to the policy of the associa-
ton. You know we cover a large area
with about $4,000 residents, and our
tendency has been to leave the liquor
license problem to those most nearly
concerned. We have both supported
and opposed licenses on various occa-
sions."
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