Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1962-12-20
Q Spectrum


a relaxation of the county liquor
Laws haze high hopes for.
Forces are noi0 being mlGrshaled
by the Montgomery County Ii
censed Beverage Association
and the Hotel and Restaurant
O1Oners Association and an all
ont effort will be made IN their
fight during the coming months.
Legislators and others who
have in the past been strongly
opposed to changing the liquor
laws have been the first to
admit that it's highly inequi-
table that only three county
establishments should enjoy the
privilege of serving hard liquor
by the drink while it's forbidden
to others. And they also agree
that bottle clubs which are
springing up more and more are
pretty silly. But they just don't
want to tamper with the liquor
laws for fear they may be re-
Taxed too much.
There is always the spectre
of Prince Georges County where
you can get a hefty slug on
every other corner, if you're in.
clined that way. And they don't
want that to happen in Mont.
gOmery County.
Strategy of the Licensed Beu.
erGge Association, it has been
learned, is to get the Udriolts
interests seeking the relaxation
together to agree on qUhat legis-
Jdtion should be sought. But
that 10o'st be easy.
Reason this is good strategy
is that in the past legislators
opposed to any change have
pointed the finger at proponents
of change and argued that
they themselves couldn't get
together on how far the laws
should be relaxed. So how could
they expect the legislators to
come up with a solution?
The differences of opinion
among the proponents gave the
lawmakers peg on which to
hang their hat when they failed
to act.
The nel0 delegation, 81 Re-
publican, has nliTed feelings on
it, we're told. Some favor the
change. Some don't. Meanwhile,
the church leaders seem to be
pretty generally against a
change, And a0iU undoubtedly
speak up sharply 1ohen the time
comes.
The average citizen who likes
a drink while dining out won't
speak up, probably. And that's
the main point put forth by
many of the proponents of
change. Why should many coun-
tians take their money out of
the county and always dine
downtown in order to have a
drink with dinner?
It's going to be interesting!
And the situation as il now
shapes up seems to be that it'll
be Touchdown, dragout when
those marble corridors of the
historic State House once again
are filled with legislators and
lobbyists.
If you haze any ideas on the
subject, 1Ue're certain the legis.
Iative delegation will be glad to
hear them.
Probably, as is usually the
way with governmental deci.
sions, the final outcome will be
determined by what the law
makers conclude is the wisest
thing to do politically.
In the past, legislators have
decided there were more votes
in NOT changing than chang.
ing.
Everybody in Montgomery
County political circles, dppdr.
entity, has fallen III Iove lDith
the acord moderate"
The group of 100 Democrats
who announced last week they
were forming Ito return their
party to its former position of
dominance calls itself mod.
crate"
No one seems to want to be
called liberal now-since the
voters (whO can do wrOng)
spoke on Nov. 8. And, apparent.
Iy, the conservatives which
sprinkle rather literally the
roster Of the new Democratic
group just formed-don't want
to be call be called "cOnserva.
tives."
FdUorite rdlIying cry, of
course, OF the nelo group trying
to seize the reinS from the "Rb-
erdI" leadership is that the lib.
erals and their policies haze
been thoroughly Tepudiated By
the uoters as a result of the
COP siCeep NoU. 6.
The explanation could be