Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-10-24
Q Liquor Laws
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tee local establishments are es-
pecialIy handicapped in attract
ing convention trade.
I'm recent years." he said,
"there has been an increasing
tendency on the part of conven-
tons to prefer holding their ses-
sions in suburban areas, as
opposed to downtown in large
cities.
ut has been estimated that
some 1886 million was brought
into the District area last year
by convention delegates and
tourists, but Montgomery Coun-
ty by reason of its legal limita-
tons was unable to gain its just
share of this amount -"
He cited numerous side ef.
fects of tourist trade which he
said are lost to the county be-
cause it forces visitors ITO buy
a bottle of whisky to satisfy the
request for drink or cocktail"
He noted that in several states
which recently changed their
laws to permit alcohol sales by
the drink per capita consump-
ton has actually dropped, and
in one the rate OF increase Is
less than that Of the United
States as a whole.
Speaking in support of Mont
gomery's views was Robert
Zeender, owner and manager Of
the Blair Mansion Inn in Silver
Spring, who said he consistent.
ly loses dinner trade from GUS
toners who turn to District res
taurants, where they can get a
drink with their meal.
To-day, Montgomery County
still has prohibition, but instead
Of speakeasies, we have country
clubs" he said, adding, Instead
of a man paying only a few dol
lars to become a member of a
speakeasy, he now has to pay a
considerable amount in order to
Join a country club"
Zeender also cited a recent
editorial in a county newspaper
which argued that "the drinking
people Of Montgomery County
are not going to drink more
with equitable liquor laws; they
will merely buy more of it in
the county instead Of the Dis.
trict."
Also supporting liquor law
revision was John A. Emory,
owner and operator Of the Stone
House Inn, Four Corners, who
argued Montgomery County Is
not "dry" now, citing the hun
dreds Of outlets for liquor, wine
and beer in operation.
Emory said that last year
30S,765 gallons Of distilled spir-
its were distributed through 10
county liquor dispensaries, com.
pared with 511,973 gallons In
some ATS licensed outlets in a
neighboring county.
1T would SEEM" he noted,
shat the amount of distilled
spirits delivered per outlet in
Montgomery County greatly ex-
ceeds the delivered galIonage
per outlet Of our neighboring
county"
James M. Barr, executive sec.
rotary Of the Bethesda Chevy
Chase Chamber of Commerce,
and Montgomery County Dele
gates Leonard Blondes also sup
ported relaxation of present lin.
its on liquor sales.
Blondes expressed special re.
greet that the majority Of coun.
ty residents who are most In ia.
vor" of the legislation he intro
duced last spring did not attend
the hearing, and that the COM
mittee would hear "only from
those opposed to 1t and those
with selfish interests in It."
Blondes cited a constant flow
of needed tax dollars into the
wrong treasures" and pointed
out his bill would have extended
pouring licenses only to restau.
rants with capitalization of at
least 100000 who could main.
tain a 1870 per cent ratio of
food over drinks served.
Advocates Of retention of
present liquor controls were
well armed with statistics show.
ing how favorably Montgomery
COunty's crime rate compares
with those In nearby jurisdlc-