Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-12
Neighborhood
Liquor Ban
Faces Fight
Boone Denies Bill
Is Dry, Forecasts
Committee Approval
BY q staff Correspondent Of The stor


of Baltimore County today pre-
dicted favorable committee action
on his bill to prevent liquor and
beer spots from setting up in
neighborhoods where the major
ity of property-owners oppose
them.
However, Delegate Upshur c.
Stevenson, Democrat, of Talbot
County chairman of the House
Alcoholic Beverages Committee,
which held a hearing on the
measure yesterday. indicated it
may face rough sailing in his
committee. He declined to make
any precise prediction.
The measure was stoutly OPP
posed at the hearing by liquor
and beer dealers, who were
warned by Mr.. Boone that, "if
they keep opposing good liquor
legislation, they're going to bring
back prohibition"
Mr.. Boone's bill would extend
to the % Maryland counties. a
regulation similar to one in
effect in Baltimore City for 20
years.
30O-FOot Area.
It would provide that. if ma
jority of poperty-oWn within
300 feet of a proposed liquor
establishment in an Incorporate
ed community objected to the
license, it could not be granted.
In agricultural areas, the ma
jority of property-oWners with
in a half-mile radius could block
the license In all other areas,
the radius would be 400 feet.
The Baltimore City regulation
prohibits the granting of a
liquor license whenever more
than so per cent of the property
owners within 200 feet object.
"Rumors have spread that this
is a dry BILL" Mr.. Boone told
the committee. That's a red
herring. I would never put in a
prohibitionist bill"
All of the witnesses emphasized
they were not drys. Several
temperance leaders were recog-
nized in the crowd of about $50
at the hearing, but they were
never given a chance to testify.
City Success Cited.
George Cochran Doub, of Bal
timore County, former Republi-
can candidate for Maryland at
torney general. said the people
are entitled to the protection
the Boone bill would afford. The
similar Baltimore City regulation
has worked well, he added.
Charles Claggett. Baltimore
city attorney, said that, if the
General Assembly kills the meas
ure, the legislators will be say
ing they are in favor of forcing
liquor spots on people against
their will.
County liquor boards are po-
litically appointed bodies, he said,
and, in many instances, have de-
MED people the protection the
Boone bill would afford.
1.-THE liquor business is a privi-
lege, not a business involving a
property right" Mr.. Claggett de-
clared. abuses of this privi-
lege brought on prohibition once.
and they will do it again."
Mrs. Rowland B. Gwynn, of
the Maryland Federation Of
Women's Clubs, voiced common
complaint among civic leaders
that constant vigilance is now
required to prevent liquor boards
from granting unwanted liquor
licenses.
1--WE have to watch our news
papers very carefully" she said,
land run to our liquor boards
and county commissioners to
protect ourselves"
Called "SpOt Prohibition"
Speaking against the measure
we're M. A. Rappaport of the
Maryland License Beverage As
ISOLATION and George Hooker of
the Maryland Brewers AsSocia-
ton. The audience was packed
with members of those two
groups.
Mr.. Rappaport said the bill
''is spot prohibition"
THE liquor industry has been
pushed around in every man.
ner," he declared. Were not
hoodlums."
Mr.. Hooker said county liquor
boards are carefully selected.
Without exception" he added,
Licenses have been granted on
the basis Of need to men of in
tegrity." -
Sentiment on the House
Alcoholic Beverages Committee
appeared definitely in opposition
to another bill heard yesterday
a bill to ban selling beer in
bottles without deposit. Delegate
j. P. King, Republican, of Mont
gomery. one of eight sponsors,
said the bill wasa aimed at
abolishing so-called throw.away
bottles which are littering Mary
land roadsideS.
Dangers Cited.
R. w. Janney of Sandy Spring,
chairman Of the Montgomery
County Roadside Cleanup Com
mittee, Endorsed the bill. He
said throw-away bottles en-
courage motorists to toss them
out the windows of their cars,
where they cause injury to other
cars, people and livestock.
Delegate Robinson seemed to
express the majority sentiment
of the committee when he told
Mr.. King that. although he
agreed Uttered roadsides are "a
bad situation. you are attempt
ing to correct 1t with a bad bill"
"YoH are attempting to
nena1iZn fhe manufactures of a