Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-07
|Par|eyCaI|ed
On Liquor
And Gambling
BY GENE GOODWIN
star Staff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 7.--Prince
Georges County lawmakers
scheduled a closed-door confer
ence with the county commits
sioners here today to discuss the
politically explosive liquor and
gambling situation in the county
OF prime concern to the legis-
lators and commissioners, all
Democrats. is a possibility that
the current blaze of publicity
about alleged law enforcement
laxity is a harbinger Of another
1850.
Similar accusations of wide
spread liquor and gambling
violations in the county helped
the Republicans end a 26-year
Democratic rule of the county
with an upset victory IN 1850
The Democrats regained COM
plete control in 1854.
With memories OF 1850 in
mind, support Is mounting
among the seven Prince Georges
legislators for extending the
present prohibition on Sunday
liquor sales to include all
alcoholic beverages.
Alternative To Despensary
This idea seems to be de-
Iveloping as an alternative to the
proposal by Senator H. Winship
Wheatley. jr.. Democrat OF
Prince Georges, for a modified
dispensary system in the county
Although they are reluctant to
speak for the record. the Prince
Georges House members have
shown little enthusiasm for the
Wheatley proposal.
Prince Georges now allows sale
of beer and light wine on Sun
days. but not hard liquor. How
ever. States Attorney Blaii
Smith charged IL days ago that
Sunday liquor sales were SC
widespread that he had con-
ferred with State police about
getting some outside help in en-
forcing the law.
Earlier, county restaurant anC
club owners had requested that
the Sunday liquor ban be lifted
Last week, Senator Wheatley
who is in position to block any
local Prince Georges legislation
that gets to the Senate, even Ii
| it passed the House. expressed
strong opposition to any extern
sion of liquor sale hours.
Oasis Role Feared
/ Prince Georges and the Dis
trict now have the same eight
and Sunday closing hours or
alcoholic beverage sales. Any re-
Taxation Of those hours in the
county either on Saturday night
or Sunday would make Prince
Georges something of an oasis in
the Metropolitan Washington
area, some Of the legislators feel
1t is understood the county
Liquor Board is considering
making a recommendation to the
lawmakers on the liquor situa-
ton later this month.
The lawmakers also are seek
ing legislative remedies for the
pinball gambling situation
brought to a head two weeks age
when Delegate Hervey G.
Machen. Democrat of Prince
Georges. charged that almost
500" of the pinball machines in
the county carried Federal
gambling stamps.
| The presumption in his allega-
ton was that the devices were
being used for gambling with
over-the-counter-payoffs.
J here again the Prince George:
Legislators are reluctant to dis.
cuss possible legislative remedies
publicly. but they seem firmly
set against any move to legalizC
gambling with pinball machine,
or any other devices.
/ They fear that legalizec
gambling devices would make 6
Little Reno" out of Prince
Georges because of its proximity
/ to Washington. Slot machine.
are now legal in the four other
Southern Maryland counties Of
Anne Arundel. Charles. st
Marys and Calvert.