Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-28
County Police
Pledge War on
Sunday Liquor

Attorney Blair H.. Smith sale
today he has been promised
county police will carry out {
round the clock" check Of
taverns to stamp out illegal Sun
day liquor sales.
Such a concentrated driv,
should not make it necessary to
request help from the Maryland
State police, Mr.. Smith said. The
county prosecutor had said
earlier he planned to request
State help this week to wipe out
what he termed wide open" il
legal Sunday sales Of liquor In
taverns.
Mr.. Smith said he consulted
with State police because he felt
county and town police depart.
ments were not able to cope with
the problem. He said local po-
lice forces apparently were tor
small or else all their men were
known to tavern keepers.
The States Attorney said he
talked yesterday with County
Police Chief George ]. Pana.
goulis about planned drive BY
police and concluded that that
1.-THE county should be able tt
handle the problem"
Points to Warning
"But these taverns have been
warned and if the situation
isn't corrected I will request
State help without any prior
announcement" Mr.. Smith said
When it was pointed out thai
some of his previous remark:
might be construed as intimat.
ing lack of faith on the county
police force and Chief George
A. Panagoulis. Mr.. Smith said
Il would like to get this over
There has never been any init.
nation OF wrongdoing on the
part Of Mai. Panagoulis or Of
any member of the county pc.
lice force"
Asked whether his feeling Of
confidence extended to the sew.
eral municipal police depart
ments, Mr.. Smith said mo COM
ment."
Might Favor Amendment
The States Attorney said hi
might be inclined to go alone
with an amendment to liquor
laws which would either bal
sales of all alcoholic beverages
on Sundays or broaden the
statutes to permit Sunday sale:
of hard liquor. Present law per-
nlits sale of wine and beer or
Sunday but prohibits sale OF
hard liquor.
Asked whether he would favor
legalization of pinball and slo'
machines or both. Mr.. Smith
emphatically said mo"
Mr.. Smith said his attitude
would be the same if coin-oper.
ated gambling devices were own.
ed and serviced by the count,
rather than by distributors.
In that case we would havt
another Reno" he declared.
Both the police chief anC
States Attorney agreed illega
Sunday sales are being made
in the county taverns, number
ing about 108.
Maj. Panagoulis said his force
of undercover men found NJ
violations yesterday during
checks of some 80 taverns that
went on until midnight.
Some of the taverns publicizeC
the drive on illegal sales BY
posting newspaper clipping
about it near their bars.
May Need More Funds
The police chief said the Coun
ty Commissioners have promised
him all the help he needs in tn
drive. which he declared will re
quire constant and continuou
work." The work may requir'
a supplement to the police de
partment's $1,000 investigation
fund, the chief added.
Maj. Panagoulis declared hi
l30-man force also is adequat t.
to wage var on pinball machin
payoffs. Making payoff arrest
and building cases that will stant
up in court take time but tn
task will be done, the chic
added.
Mr.. Smith predicted toda,
that gambling stamps bought TO
pinball machines that pay off
will not be renewed since a Fed
eral court has ruled the machine
are not gambling devices.
Herbert w. Reichelt, presiden
Of the County Commissioners
said he will talk to Mr.. Smitl
about the liquor and pinball ma
cl7iv1a Y1rat1lay,a