Milton Tolle (1883-1962)
MSA SC 3520-1724
Biography:
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, August 11, 1883. Son of Henry Tolle. Attended public schools; Baltimore Law School, LL.B. Married Anne G. Died September 2, 1962. Buried in the Gardens of Faith Cemetery.
Attorney in Baltimore. House of Delegates (D) Baltimore County, 1922-46. Member, Committee on Amendments to the Constitution (on Section 24, Article 3 of the constitution), Education Committee; Hygiene Committee; Committee on Insurance and Loans; Committee on Insolvency; Judiciary Committee (chair, 1939-46); Library Committee; Game and Fish Committee. Chair, Committee on Corporations. Speaker pro tem, 1929. Member, Arsenal and Veterans Memorial Commission, 1936-52. Member, Legislative Council, 1939-46. Authored a bill to control the distribution of fireworks in Maryland; passed 1941. Choir director, St. Matthias Episcopal Church, 20 years. Hobbies included painting and reading Shakespeare.
On March 18, 1943, Milton Tolle introduced House Bill 655 to repeal
parts of sections 4 and 6 of Article 2B of the Annotated Code of Maryland
on Alcoholic Beverages "relating to the licensing, regulation and storage
of alcoholic beverages within the State of Maryland and the importation
of such beverages into the State."
It was read the first time on that day and referred to the Judiciary
Committee. On March 30, 1943 Mr. Tolle, from the Judiciary Committee,
reported favorably on the bill. He reported ten amendments that were
read and adopted. The most significant amendments were inserting
the word "secret" under Section 44A, line 4: "In order to eliminate
the undue stimulation of the sale of alcoholic beverages and the practice
of manufacturers and wholesalers in granting 'secret' discounts, rebates,
allowances, free goods or other inducement to selected licensees which
contribute to the disorderly distribution of alcoholic beverages, it shall
be unlawful for any person licensed hereunder as a manufacturer or wholesaler
to discriminate directly or indirectly in price, discounts or the quality
of merchandise sold, between one dispensary and another dispensary, between
one wholesaler and another wholesaler or between one retailer and another
retailer purchasing alcoholic beverages bearing the same brand and trade
name and of like age and quality." ..."The comptroller may promulgate
such rules and regulations that are necessary to carry out the purposes
of this section." Another amendment made the comptroller responsible
for issuing permits for using alcohol in scientific or medicinal purposes
other than in beverages. The bill was ordered printed for its third
reading, and it passed unanimously at its third reading on April 1, 1943
and sent to the Senate. The Senate amended the bill to insert "or
non-resident unlicensed manufacturer" in the sentence of the same Section
(44A): "It shall be unlawful for any non-resident dealer or non-resident
unlicensed manufacturer to use or promote the use of any such practices
for the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages to or through manufacturers,
wholesalers or county dispensaries in this State." The bill was unanimously
passed on April 3, 1943.
In the election of 1942, Governor Herbert O'Conor promised that if re-elected
he would appoint a committee to review Maryland's Alcoholic Beverages Laws
"to determine whether they are designed to stand the test of war problems
as well as those of peace time, and also affecting proper Sunday observance."
("Vote For Governor Herbert R. O'Conor and the Entire Democratic Ticket,"
campaign pamphlet, GOVERNOR (General File) 1942-1944 Al-Am MSA S1041 2/33/1/23.)
The Alcoholic Beverage Survey Commission was appointed by Governor O'Conor
on November 10, 1942 to survey Maryland's liquor laws and report its findings
and make recommendations to the governor and legislature. The commission,
chaired by W. R. McClayton of the W. B. Cassell Company in Baltimore, met
for the first time on November 21, 1942 and issued its report on January
26, 1943 along with a proposed bill for submission to the General Assembly
(see copies). Governor O'Conor agreed with the Commission that "definite
steps" had to be taken to control the sale and consumption of alcohol in
order to promote temperance. A special concern was that U.S. participation
in the war effort and the training of new recruits not be jeopardized by
alcohol abuse. The Senate Committee on Judicial Proceedings under Senator
Joseph R. Byrnes worked on an Alcoholic Control Bill as did the House (see
above).
See GOVERNOR (General File) 1942-1944 Al-Am MSA S1041 2/33/1/23
and
GOVERNOR (General
File) 1942-1944 Legislative Council-MD MSA S1041 2/33/2/18.
Return to Milton Tolle's introductory page
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