Evening star., 1951-04-03
.1awes Bill toEnd
Beer Monopoly
Is |sPigeonho|ed
Measure Directed
AT Montgomery Dies
In Senate Committee
By J. |. MichoeI
Sior Stoff CORRESPONDENT

By J. [. MichoeI
Siur s'off Correspondent
ANNAPOLIS, April 3.-State
Controller j. Millard Tawes'
House-passed bill to end Mont
#gomery County's beer monopoly
is as dead today as the Maryland
Legislatures 1851 session.
While Mr.. Tawes, new Demo-
cratic strongman, cracked the
party whip and brewery lobby
lists buttonholed feverishly
throughout the State House, the
bitterly fought measure died yes
terday in an executive session Of
the Senate Judicial Proceedings
Committee.
The committee, it was learned.
voted Z to 5 to give the bill an
unfavorable report. Then, as a
firal touch to a crushing victory
scored by Montgomery's Repub-
lican Senator Dewitt S. Hyde,
the committe marked the bill
hold"
Introduced by Speaker.
Introduced by House Speaker
John c. Luber and passed early
Sunday in the lower chamber by
a 70-to-32 vote, the bill was iden-
tical to a measure placed before
the Senate by its president,
George w. Della.
The latter measure was tabled
last week by a 15-to-14 tally after
lit met stiff opposition from Sena-
tor Hyde.
Mr.. Tawes had fought the mo-
nopoly system on the claim that
it reduced State revenues and vio-
lated the principles of free enter.
prise. A higher per capita con-
sumption Of beer, he asserted.
would ensue if the monopoly was
eliminated and additional income
would revert to the county.
In agreement, perhaps for the
first time, Montgomery Democratic
and Republican leaders joined in
the effort to save the monopoly
which nets the county more than
100000 a year.
l Backed by Civic Organizations.
i With them in the fight were a
majority Of members of the
Icounty's numerous civic organ.
Iizations.
/ At public hearing on the Tawes
proposal before the Judiciary Com
mittee, the united Montgomery
ICountians made it clear that their
major concern was not the finan-
cial gain resulting from the mo.
'Inopoly, but rather their determina-
ton to keep their county clean. %
i Montgomery County is proud of
1.-THE distinction it gained when it
was recently selected as one of the
|l10 best-governed political subdi-
visions in the Nation.
Mrs. Stella B. Werner, a mem
ber of the County Council, summed
Iup this feeling by saying:
"A higher beer consumption
rate is the very thing Montgomery
County does not want. We will do
without the extra dollars, and we
will pay higher taxes if necessary
but we do not intend to permit
Montgomery to become a garish,
honkey-tonk beer-tavern county"
Tax Measure Lost"
In another development affect
ling Montgomery County the Sen-
ate apparently "lost" a bill which
would have given the County
Council taxing powers equal to
those conferred on the State. ex-
Icept for malt and spirituous
liquors.
Unfortunately" said Senator
Hyde with a grin, "the measure
has mysteriously disappeared and
7 am not trying too hard to
find it"
He explained that in his opinion
the bill is too broad and prob
ably unconstitutional.
A bill adding IL acres to the
town of Takoma Park was passed
by the Senate. The land is at
New Hampshire Avenue and Uni
versity Lane.
School Speed Bill Beaten.
The bill was approved over op-
position of owners who claimed
they would have to pay more taxes
than would be balanced by serv-
ices the town would provide.
The towns Mayor, Ross H. Bev.
lille, supported the plan, claiming
that the land should be inside
town limits because it once was
part of the municipality.
In surprise move by surprised
Senators, a bill to set q 15-mile
speed limit through school zones
was defeated Is to II. The Sem
ate, about to approve the measure.
was informed that the bill was
State wide.
They had thought it was a local
plan. Several Senators spoke
against it before the tally was
recorded.