The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-04
WOULD END RACING
Commissioners to Ask Con-
gresS to Take Action.
AWAIT TEST CASE VERDICT
Mr.. mcfarland Gives out Statement
Concerning Gambling at Benning.
Believes Whatever Amendment to
Present Law Is Needed Shall BE
Made-Wants Betting "Wiped Out"

Commissioner Mcfarland said yester-
day that he was only waiting for the de-
cision OF the Court of Appeals, in the
test case which It is now considering, as
10 betting at Benning race track, before
asking the Commissioners TO recommend
TO Congress whatever legislation is neces-
sary to make the auti-gambling laws alb
solutely effective at Bennlng race track.
Until the Court of Appeals makes its
decision" he SAID, ut cannot be de-
teTmined what amendment of the law
may be necessary but whatever amend
ment is necessary. should, OF course, be
made
This is what Gov. Hughes has recon-
mended in New York and Is what the
Commissioners will doubtless agree to
recommend here. For every reason
gambling should be stopped, and, of the
different forms of gambling. that which
is most expensive TO the community. both
in money and in ruined lives, is the race
track gambling
THE business men Of Washington stop
ped the Jackson City gambling, because
they felt strongly the effect of the temp
tation to which It subjected business men
and their employees and its demoraIizing
influence upon so many men,
Has Been Active Before. =
AS a member Of the Board OF Trade,
J took part in that effort, and / have
never ceased since TO advocate the alb
sclute abolition Of race track and other
gambling in and near the District OF
Columbia.
My last public utterance upon that
subject was in a newspaper interview on
July %. 1907, when was quoted as saying
that the District government wound do
everything IN its power, as in the past.
to break up all gambling in the District
Of Columbia, and that 1 was anxious TO
see the betting at Benning entirely wiped
out
Not having immediate supervision Of
the police department. / have not had
the initiative in directing its operations,
bur 1 am informed that the major and
superintendent OF police has made cases at
every meeting at the Benning race track
except that Of last autumn. and has
brought them TO the attention of The
district attorney, ana tudL ne ieLi sttiieu
from making arrests at the last autumn
meeting because the district attorney
stated 70 the Commissioners in charge of
the police department that il was mad
visable 10 do so pending the decision of
the Court OF Appeals on the test case
that had been made at the spring meet
ing.
Not Under Commissioners.
The United States district attorney is
OF course. the only officer who can prose-
cute such cases. and he Is not in any
way under the authority Of the Commits
sioners. / assume that he has done his
duty In prosecuting the cases submitted
to him by the police department, and
am told that his prosecutions have abol-
ished some forms Of gambling at the race
track, and that Il the Court OF Appeals
sustains the prosecutions in the pending
case, the whole business will be broken
up. II the Court Of Appeals holds that
the law is not sufficient for this I shall
ask the Commissioners TO ask Congress
10 make It sufficient.