Evening star., 1943-01-09
Assemb|yFight
Due on Revision
0fLiquor Laws
Maryland Appeals
Boards Abolition
Is Predicted
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Jan. 9.-Widespread
revision of the State laws governing
the sale of liquor, including abolition
Of the State Appeals Board, appeared
today to be one of the issues bound
to provoke much discussion in the
l943 General Assembly session which
Is scheduled to resume Monday night.
Most members left for their homes
Immediately after the sudden and
somewhat unexpected recess of both
Houses late Thursday. The capital
was virtually deserted of lawmakers
today, but sources close to the As
sembly pointed to a number of re-
cent events which they interpreted
as presaging considerable contro-
versy.
Only one bill relating to liquor
regulationS-one which would close
all Hartford County establishments
on Sundays-has been introduced,
but many others are expected.
Principal issues expected to arise,
authoritative sources predicted, were
the continuance of the State Ap-
peals Board, Sunday closing and
earlier week-night closing
Gov. O'Conor's Alcoholic Bever-
age Commission is expected soon to
release full set of recommended
tions based on its State wide studies.
Restrictions Are Proposed.
The commission has already pro-
posed closing of all licensed places
at l am, and has recommended
that no dispensary open before 2
pm. on Sundays, latest closing hour
is now am, and most places open
at 6 am
Another Statewide proposal ex-
pected to come before the Assembly
would close all package stores at
pm, instead of midnight.
One source commenting on the
three-man State Appeal Board said
ne was virtually certain the Iegis-
lature would abolish the board.
I understand that the delegation
from one of the larger counties is
preparing a bill that would allow
appeals to the Circuit Courts in
stead of the State Board" he said,
adding:
This duty rightfully belongs to
the Circuit Courts of the various
counties, because they are in a posi-
ton to know and understand local
situations far better than the State
Appeals Board.
I am told that legislators from
several counties are ready to 20
along in this matter"
The present Appeals Board is
comprised of L. Franklin Purnell
OF Ocean City, Frank Bratton of
Silver Spring and Walter E. Buck
OF Port Deposit, appointed last week
to I'LL the vacancy caused by the
death of James Az Young of An
napolis and Cumberland.
The board was the center of one
OF the principal controversies during
the campaign prior to the November
election. The board overruled the
action OF the Baltimore City LIQUOR
license commissioners in suspend
ing a night club license, but later
rescinded its order.
The September Baltimore grand
Jury retiring yesterday urged Gre
alton OF a central bureau for in
Spectors, reports and controls of
hazards, and recommended that the
State Appeals Board be removed
from the sphere of political in
fuence."
Sunday Closing Seen Favored.
A subcommittee of the Governor
Revision Committee, conducting a
public hearing on the Eastern Shore,
reported considerable sentiment
there for Sunday closing.
Mrs. Wilmer Fell Davis of Fed
eralsburg, wife of the Republican
floor leader in the Senate and a
member of the Governors commit
tee, said public opinion is behind
this move" for Sunday closing and
midnight closing every week day.
In Annapolis, Mayor William U.
McReady said the City Council and
the Anne Arundel County legislative
delegation would confer next week
to discuss liquor legislation.
Mr.. McReady said he would favor
Sunday closing in Annapolis re
gardless of what the rest of the
State does, provided Anne Arundel
County also closed
ITO close the city, but not the
county, would be similar to several
years ago when there were no Sum-
day movies and every one drove off
to Baltimore and Washington, TAX
ing much revenue away from An
napolis," he said.
The Anne Arundel County liquor
board, however, was reported to be
opposed to Sunday closing because,
as one member puS it, The Sunday
closing would kill the business COM
pletely, and it's almost dead now"