Evening star., 1941-01-24
United Democrats Ask
Beer Monopoly for
Montgomery County
Group Also Proposes
Puy-us-You-Go Busis
For LocuI Government

Democratic Organization of Mont
gomery County last night adopted a
legislative program which included
extending the county liquor monop-
oily to include the beer business,
construction of an incinerator plant
and placing the county on a pay
as-you-go basis.
The program to be presented to
the county'S delegation to the State
Legislature at the present session
had been discussed at previous
meetings Of the congress and pro-
voked little discussion except on
the question of the beer monopoly,
which was opposed by the delegates
from the Bethesda Chevy Chase
areas.
j. Harry Welch, Bethesda dele
gate who announced he also was
an attorney for the beer dealers.
described the proposal to take over
the beer business as "un-American"
and "undemocratic." He said the
county should not invade the field
OF private industry and that the
beer dealers would be willing to
pay a county license fee of $500
each in addition to the $3.50 State
license fee.
Petition Presented.
Kenneth Lyddane of Chevy Chase
presented a petition which he said
bore l,4OO signatures opposing the
proposal. Their stand was SUD-
ported by Trial Magistrate James
G. Christopher of Bethesda Police
Court and Robert Bell and Lar
mour Oyster, Bethesda-ChevyC Chase
delegates. Dr.. Benjamin c. Perry.
Democratic leader in that section
took no stand on the question.
James w. Gill of Silver Spring.
who presented the proposal for the
County Liquor Control Board,
warned the delegates that unless the
beer business was subjected to more
stringent regulation the county soon
might be faced with complete pro-
hibition. He charged that beer
dealers were giving secret rebates,
engaging in price cutting and ex-
tending unlimited credit in order
to get business.
Joseph B. Simpson, jr., of Takoma
Park. who seconded the motion.
denied taking over the beer distribu-
ton in the county would be an in
vasion of the field of private busi-
ness, in which eight wholesale
dealers are now engaged. 1t has
long been recognized that the public
interest demands special considera-
ton in handling Intoxicating bev-
erages and many States already have
taken over the entire field, he said.
After substitute motion by Mr..
WEIGH to refer the proposal back to
the special committee to effect
compromise was defeated, the pro-
posal carried, 105 to %. Proponents
of the plan have claimed 1t would
raise 100000 year for the county.
The pay-aS-you-go resolution rec
commended that no new general
county bonds be issued during the
next fiscal year and indicated that
no school bonds would be approved
in clause specifying that all rea-
sonable requests and definitely au-
thenticated needs of children for
new schools or additions be made
from tax moneys available to the
county treasurer"
Julius P. Stadler, chairman of the
School Committee, said his COM
mittee had conferred with members
of the Board of Education regard
ing the school construction pro-
gram, which recommended S750,000
for buildings and additions in the
immediate future, but that it would
abide by the Congress vote on the
resolution against issuance of new
bonds.
No Recommendation on Building.
The resolution concerning the
county refuse and garbage-disposal
plant recommended that suitable
legislation" be framed to provide
modern facilities and to authorize a
collection service when deemed ad-
visable. No recommendation was
made as to whether the plant should
be built and maintained by the
county commissioners or the WASH
ington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission, but unless the county were
to issue bonds for the initial cost
it would mean construction by the
sanitary commission, which already
has authority to issue bonds for
that purpose and has built a SIM
liar plant for Prince Georges
COIJptv