Evening star., 1949-03-16
Assembly Gets
Bill PERMITTING
Club Liquor Sale
Montgomery Group
To Fight Proposal
Defeated in County
By J. B. Zotmon
Stoy StoH Correxpondent


smarting from the defeat of their
bill for an elected school board,
members of the Montgomery
County delegation today were
confronted with legislation to
permit veterans and fraternal
organizations to sell liquor in
their clubhouSes.
introduced in the House yes
terday by Delegate William H.
McGrath, Democrat, of Prince
Georges County, the measure
would accomplish in II counties,
including Montgomery, what the
Montgomery legislators refused
to approve locally.
It was learned the bill was pre-
sented at the request of Joseph
B. Buscher. who headed the fight
for legislation to permit the sale
of liquor in veterans clubs in
Montgomery.
After a hearing about month
ago on the proposal, the Mont
gomery delegation refused to
sponsor such a bill on the ground
1t might result in similar de-
mands by other organizations.
Six Counties Exempted.
Exempted from the McGrath
bill which was referred to the
Alcoholic Beverages Committee.
are Caroline. Dorchester. Garrett.
Kent, Somerset and Wicomico
Counties.
Under the measure, on-sale
beer, wine and liquor licenses
would be granted any veterans or
fraternal organization having a
clubhouse and which is local post
or chapter of national organiza-
ton chartered by Congress or by
any State, with at least 100000
active members.
The local group would be re-
quired to have property valued at
not less than $25 900 and mini
mum dues-paying membership of
100.
House action on the school
board bill was taken after an un-
successful attempt by Anders R.
Lofstrand. jr.. chairman of the all
Republican Montgomery delega-
ton, to override an unfavorable
judiciary Committee report.
The vote on Mr.. Lofstrand's mo-
ton was IA to 40. with five Demo-
Gratis joining the Republican mi
nority. The committee report
then was adopted by voice vote.
Sponsored by PTA Group.
During debate on the measure,
Montgomery Delegate De Witt S.
Hyde insisted the bill was not a
political issue. He pointed out it
was sponsored by the County
Council of Parent-Teacher. Asso-
Citations, which comprises both
Democrats and Republicans"
Declaring the delegation was
elected two years ago to return
home rule" to the county. Mr..
Hyde asserted:
I'VE have met with repeated
rebuffs by the administration
most Of it at the reqeust OF E.
Brooke Lee, a man who has been
repudiated for years in his own
county"
Mr.. Lee has long dominated the
Montgomery Democratic organl-
cation.
Finally, Mr.. Hyde warned that
elf we cannot effect these changes
by political action on the county
level we will carry the fight to
the state level ."
Also speaking for the bill were
Montgomery Delegates r. Duncan
Clark and Mrs. Leona Rush.
Protests Cited.
Spokesman for the opposition
was Chairman Melnicove of the
Judiciary Committee, who cited
the protests of DR.. Thomas G.
Pullen, jr., State superintendent
of schools, at a hearing on the bill
last month.
Earlier Mr.. Melnicove sponsored
a resolution. which was passed by
the House, calling upon the legis-
lative council to study the ques-
ton of school board appointments
throughout the State.
Meanwhile, Perry o. Wilkinson,
chairman of the Prince Georges
delegation, said his group has
voted unfavorably on bills which
would:
/. Extend the boundaries of
Mount Rainier to include part of
the Queenstown apartment prof.
ect.
2. Allow the Mayor and Coun-
Gil of Hyattsville to improve
streets without the consent of 81
per cent of the abutting nroperty
owners.
8. Incorporate Roger Heights,
Riverdale Heights and East Pines
into one city, to be known as
Maryland City.
Cannot Answer Letters.
4. Permit the sale Of liquor
between / pm. and midnight on
Sundays.
S. Permit the sale of liquor on
New Years day, 1850, which falls
on Sunday.
Mr.. Wilkinson. at the same time,
said he has been unable to answer
all letters from county residents
regarding pending legislation be-
cause of the lack of secretarial
help. He expressed the belief.
however, that newspaper arti-
cles on the status of county bills
would be adequate to inform the
people on the various local bills. "
The House Committee on
Amendments to the Constitution
today voted an unfavorable report
on a proposed home rule measure
for towns and cities.
The proposed constitutional
amendment was sponsored by the