Evening star., 1939-12-17
Demand for Dry Zones
In Residential Sections.

Takoma citizens are again put
to the necessity of showing the
Alcoholic Beveral Control Board
that the sentiment of the COM
munity is nearly unanimous in
its opposition to the establish
ment and operation of the liquor
business of any kind or descrip-
ton in that section. At a hear
ing last week an application for
a class A license was opposed by
a large delegation and a protest
containing the signatures of TAO
adults filed. Only a partial can
vass of the section was made in
the limited time, but from the
result it is apparent that If the
entire field was covered the pro-
test would be expanded to dou-
BILE the volume as in former cases.
The board, at this writing. has
not announced its decision. There
is another similar application
pending for nearby location and
it is expected that the civic lead
ers will have to again appear
and protest the granting of the
license.
In this respect the expert
ence of Takoma is no different
from that of other neighborhoods,
with the possible exception that
Takoma has acquired the ex-
perience of a veteran.
1t was shown at the Takoma
hearing the other day that the
deed for the property where it
is proposed to locate the liquor
business contains covenant
against the manufacture or sale
of alcoholic or malt liquors on
the premises. The attorney for
the applicant, upon this point
being raised. stated that they
hold quit-claim deed from the
sole surviving heir of B. F. Gill
bert, the developer Of Takoma,
releasing the property from the
covenant.
All of the Gilbert deeds con-
tanned such covenants and this
was one of the inducements Of
fered home seekers to buy in his
subdivisions. In consequence
there was an implied, If not an
actual, contract with all pur-
chasers to keep the entire sub
division free from the liquor
business. There is serious doubt
as to the authority of the heir to
waive the covenant without the
consent to the other holders Of
similar deeds.
The Rhole Island Avenue Citi-
zens' Association has very SINH
lar case, though there has been
no attempt to eliminate the cove
nants. This association advo-
Gates an amendment to the A.
B. c. Act which would prohibit
the A. B. c. Board from grant,
ing license to an applicant in
a neighborhood which is made
up of property covered largely
with deeds containing covenants
against alcoholic liquors.
One of the most annoying
features Of these frequently
occurring applications is the re-
quirement that to protect a
neighborhood from such invasions
by an unwanted business is that
it imposes a heavy burden upon
the civic leaders. They hate to
have the same old fight to go
over again with no changes save,
possibly, the name of the ap.
plicant and another location.
The Commissioners Of the Dis
trict of Columbia are given the
power, under the law, to set
aside dry zones, yet they have
never yielded to the earnest re-
quests Of citizen groups to exer-
else this power. And still the
Commissioners ask Congress to
give them more power.
The attorney for the applicant
in the Takoma case had protes-
tants admit that the liquor busi-
ness is a legal business. They
might have added, with equal
truth, that it is also recognized
by the law and court decisions as
a dangerous business which re-
quires rigid control. For such
control the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Act was passed and to
have this effectively done the A.
B. c. Board was created and its
members paid annually 5000
each.