Evening star., 1940-02-15
Secret Session
Hears Brown
In Liquor Probe
House Committee
Holds Confidential
Dutu of Police Head

Information about the liquor sit.
uation in Washington regarded as
so confidential no one would dis
cuss it was given to a special con-
gressional investigating committee
today by Maj. Ernest w. Brown,
superintendent of police.
Behind closed doors, without the
presence OF an official stenographer,
Maj. Brown testified for more than
an hour this morning, and is sched-
uled to return to the witness stand
again this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
The investigating committee is a
supecial group created by the House
District Committee to make a COM
prehensive survey of the liquor sit
uation in Washington and par
ticularly the policy of the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board with respect
to the issuance and renewal of liquor
licenses Representative Eberharter,
Democrat, of Pennsylvania, Is the
chairman.
The investigating subcommittee,
headed by Representative Eberhar-
ter, Democrat, of Pennsylvania plans
to have an all day executive meeting
today at which liquor dealers and
tavern owners will be given an op.
portunity to voice their complaints
against the Alcoholic Beverage Con-
troll Board.
Mrs. Mason Heard.
The subcommittee so far has held
two executive meetings, ostensibIy
to develop program for the public
hearings that are to follow. Yes
terday it heard behind closed doors
the testimony of Mrs. Agnes X.
Mason, vice chairman of the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Board, and
an unidentified witness who is re-
ported to have been refused license
to sell liquor by the drink in a
place he planned to open near the
Riverside Stadium not far from
Potomac Park The daughter of q
prominent United States Senator is
said to have accompanied the ap-
plicant for this license at the secret
hearing before the investigating sub
committee.
Three other witnesses-all re-
ported to be employees in liquor
establishments-waited outside the
committee room. but were not called
on to testify, Chairman Eberharter
said their testimony would be taken
later.
Seeks Background.
No stenographer was present
when Mrs. Mason and the unidenti-
fied witness testin6d. Mr.. Eber-.
harter said, however, the purpose
Of their appearance before the SUBJ
committee was to build up a back.
ground for the disclosures to be
made by the subcommittee when
it begins public hearings on the
liquor situation next week.
Mrs. Mason, according to Mr..
Eberharter, devoted her testimony
to the general practices of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
in the issuance and renewal of
liquor licenses.
While Mr.. Eberharter's subcom-
mittee was questioning Mrs. Mason,
Representative Nichols, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma, introduced a bill in
the House to permit an appeal to
the Commissioners from liquor deal
ers whose licenses are not renewed
by the A. B. c. Board. Under ex-
isting law there is no board of
review or appellate body in such
cases.
Mr.. Nichols, a member of the
House District Committee, intro
duced the bill to prevent a repe-
tition of the case of Leo j. Rossi-
ter, a Georgia avenue sea food
restaurant proprietor, whose license
to sell liquor by the drink was not
renewed. A few days after the
committee ordered the investiga.
ton. the A. B. C. Board held a re-
hearing on the Rossiter case and
renewed his license for another
year