Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-03
A Hearing Before Members Of the
House District Committee.
ARGUMENTS FOR and AGAINST IT
Religious Bodies and Others Op-
pose the Measure.
OTHER DISTRICT MATTERS

MT. oQell, MF. f1ullnB,
Mr.. Meredith and Mr.. Cobb. gave hear
ing today on the racing bill, considerable
opposition to the proposed measure having
been developed in the city. The advocates
OF the bill were repre- sented by Mr. Joseph
s. Auerbach Of New York and several
persons connected with the National Jockey
Club. The opposition was headed by Mr..
Wilbur F. Crafts and included MIR. w.
H. Chapman of the Methodist Ministers
Asso citation, Messrs. Mcdowell, Wilmarth
and Talmage of the Metropolitan Methodist
Church, Mrs. Wescott and Mrs. Smith
of the w. c. T. U. The Y. NJ. c. A. was
represented by a protest presented by Mr..
Chapman.
Mr.. Anthony Comstock of New York was
also present to oppose the bill.
Mr.. Crafts Remarks.
Mr.. Crafts said he opposed this bill be-
cause he opposed the bookmaker, the pro-
fessional gambler, who Is not engaged In
SPORT. Eliminate gambling from the bill
and opposition to the bill is dissipated.
He claimed this bill to be virtually the
law now In force in New York, where
gambling Is allowed. The promoters Of
this bill have used the worst features OF
the English betting system. Mr.. Crafts
read description OF tine system of bet
ting now said to be in operation on the
New York tracks. and said the method is
just as much bookmaking as If the book
makers established regular stands wherein
to carry on their business
Mr.. Crafts insisted that the bill changes
the law as affecting racing within the mile
limit Mr.. J. S. Auerbach, in behalf Of the
bill, said there was no objection to an
amendment covering this objection.
Continuing Mr.. Crafts said the law as 1t
now stands prohibits betting on races any
where within the District and under that
m 70 Iriof hat
ting under the proposed bill. Mr.. Crafts
criticised District Attorney Birney for rem
dering varying opinions upon the character
of this bill. He said Mr.. Birney's opinion
was as chang cable as Washington weather
and that he had touched the four points of
the compass upon it. Mr.. Crafts insisted
that the bill will unquesticnably change
existing law outside Of the mile limit.
MIR. Auerbach for the Bill.
Mr.. j. S. Auerbach, in behalf Of the bill,
said he had but little to say in reply to Mr.
Crafts. All his arguments would be an
swered by the amendment proposed that
no betting shall be allowed within one mile
Of the city limits. Mr.. Auerbach defended
District Attorney Birneys legal reputa ton
f! ON the attacks made by Mr. Crafts
Mr.. Crafts said the law can be evaded
under this bill the way 1t is done in New
YORK. where bookmakers circulate in the
crowd, ostensibly as visitors. make bets
with those who want to gamble, and carry
on thriving business, safe from molesta-
ton.
Anthony Comstock's Address.
Mr.. Anthony Comstock of New York
then addressed the committee. He said
there are two subjects Of paramount i'm
portance to the public-health and morals.
Public opinion in this country has con-
demned lotteries and today there Is but
one state In the Union where they are
a a = Tha Syrrr
States in recent utterance dwelt upon
the demoralizing influence of lotteries and
games, and that court has also emphasized
the Importance Of the protection of the
public health and morals. In 1928 the .;,1-
preme Court discussed that question and
held that the government has a right to
handle the question, and in many decisions
since that time the Supreme Court has
put public health and morals on the hi:r1-
est pinnacle, holding to the supreme right
OF the police power of the government to
supervise them.
Curse of Betting.
Mr.. Comstock wanted to call the atten-
tlon or the committee to the curse upon
lramanity Of race track betting 1t breeds
crimes, poverty, suicide and murder The
bill under consideration, he said, will per-
init betting on races. 1t will allow the
professional gambler to ply his calling on
the race tracks to be organized under the
e.
inning gambling, and asserted that this
bill proposes by legislation to permit lust
such gambling 1t was true that gambling
per Sc Is apparently prohibited in the
Dill under the usual forms and mode of
conducting gambling on race tracks. hut
there Is nothing to prevent the gambler
from walking around and making bets. He
said the bill does not provide criminal
penalty FOR gambling and only authorizes
punishment through a civil suit brought
t:y one OF the participants
Mr.. Comstock held that the bill should
receive the condemnation of the committee
he had long list of entertainments do.
falcations and suicides traceable to the
evils Of race track betting. Mr. Comstork
was not opposed to improving the breed Of
D:l but he did object to bringing into this
District such men as have thronged the
race tracks OF New York for the last ten
years roDbing the people that they might
be enriched.
MIR. Auerbach's Reply,
Mr.. j. S. Auerbach said in reply he would
rot take up the question Of public morals.
The committee is supposed to know what is
good 1of the public; abuses arise under
form OF legislation. He once heard of a
man VINO beat out his wife's brains with
framed @ motto hanging in the room, which
read, God bless our happy home" but for
mat reason he would not condemn in the
future exhibiting all such praiseworthy
notices There perhaps have been suicides
from betting, but he had heard recently
that there he'd been several suicides since
the passage of the Raines bill He would
not on that ground condemn the Raines
6:i. Legislation is not to be judged by one
or Two abuses Of it. The principle is the
greatest good to the greatest number. This
ell proposes to allow the harmless recren-
ton OF horse racing In the District of Co
l,,mbia, conducted under proper safeguards.
Even II 1t should permit one or two men To
gamble, 1t provides restrictions which would
prevent three or four thousand men from
gambling. He said that the men back of
the bill are not gamblers.
Mr. Auerbach said that this bill gives no
more privileges than those afforded by tho
racing law in force in New York. There ia
state with constitutional prohibition
against bookmaking and betting that has
adopted Just such a law as this bin pro-
poses. 1t Is asked IL the District of Co
iumbia, unhampered by even the constftu-
tional prohibition, shall enact similar Iegis-
lation. Gcv. Morton had signed the law.
and expressed the opinion that gambIine
end betting would be prohibited by it, The
scheme OF the bill is to allow racing only
under the auspices Of responsible or
ganization that will prevent abuses He
would consent to an amendment combining
the operations Of the bill outside Of the