Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-06

| A0ROo6Ao w ANNAOO ANAOAASU-gAAA-
cry County's liquor laws ran into
stiff organized opposition last
night from church and minis
Iterial organizations.
More than 1000 persons
turned out for a public hearing
on the revisions, most aimed at
permitting whisky sales by
the drink in restaurants and
taverns.
Some 80 persons spoke at the
public hearing in Montgomery
Blair High School gymnasium.
The session was held by the
county delegation to the Gen.
eral Assembly.
Opposition was led by spokes-
men for the Silver Spring and
Wheaton Ministerial Associa-
tons and the Bethesda Council
Iof Churches.
William P. Sullivan of the
Allied Civic Group of Silver
Spring, however, urged a mod
ernization of what he termed
the present archaic laws" He
added that his association would
want a referendum on any
changes.
Civic Groups Resolution
Mr.. Sullivan submitted a reso-
luton passed by the civic group
establishing a standard that in
cluded requirement that res
taurantS receiving so-called
pouring" licenses, have 10 per
cent of their business in food
sales.
Plummer Shearin, attorney for
six restaurants. said a bill he
had drafted would qualify some
IA or Is restaurants for licenses
under standards equivalent or
more rigid than those proposed
by the Allied Civic Group.
| Mr.. Shearin blasted as "un-
justly discriminatory" the pres
ent law that restricts pouring
licenses to three restaurants, one
now out Of business.
He said when it was originally
enacted in 1898, it was neither
equitable nor sound public
policy"
The Rev. Claude A. Brubaker
Of the Seneca Baptist ASsocia-
ton, said his group would come
up with a bill that would end
the charge of discrimination.
He said it would deprive Olney
Inn, Normandy Farms and An
glers Inn of the privilege of serv-
ing liquor they received under a
grandfather clause in 1898.
Restaurant Bill Defended
Mr.. Shearin said the restau-
rant bill he was proposing would
meet Allied Civic's criterion of
modernization and extension
without relaxing existing strin-
gent control over the issuance of
licenses and the sale Of liquor"
1T cannot possibly adversely
affect the public interest,"" he
said.
i A bill proposed by Attorney
William Richard. counsel for the
Licensed Beverage Association
and several veteran and frater-
nal groups, drew bitter oppo-
ESition.
i The measure would permit
issuance of licenses to restau-
rants, requiring them to have 81
/. per cent of their sales in food.
1t also would grant pouring
licenses to taverns which serve
food and which have held beer
licenses for 10 years.
I Mr.. Richard said the bill
would permit about As estab-
lishmentS to seek licenses and
would put an additional $3.50, 900
in the. county treasury.
A measure proposed by Dele
gate Warren Browning to require
: country clubs to sell whisky only
to bona fide members was the
only measure to win approval.
Proposals by the Board of Lii
IcenSe Commissioners for higher
license fees drew the disapproval
Of the Licensed Beverage Associ-
alton. Scoring the proposed fees
as out of line with the average
in the State, Henry Dietle,
spokesman for the association,
said he saw no valid reason for
them.
Attacked by Church Leaders
I The Rev. Frank Brasington Of
the First Baptist Church of Sill
yer Spring. said:
] "As long as / am in the county,
the law is not going to be
changed"