The Washington times., 1911-10-08
THE RATIONALE OF THE
GAMBLING EVIL.
} the Editor Of THE TINES:

1
To the Editor OF THE TIMES:
While walking along the road by the
canal at Chain Bridge September II we
passed a group of about fifteen or
twenty boys between the ages Of nine
and twelve. Every one of them was
| playing cards, and several had hats
full OF nickels, using them during the
game. At least half of them were
profane. Two grown men were stand
ing there watching them and laughing
at them.
Several of the boys looked as IL they
were from well-to-do families.
1 write to ask If something cannot be
done about this state of affairs. One
half Of these children's parents have
no idea where their boys spend Sunday
afternoon.
To one who has had occasion to know
the kind of men boys become who spend
their afternoons thus-from year to
year, the spectacle was terrible. II
these boys could be gotten hold of now
just when impressions are forming
which determine their whole lives they
could be rescued from crime and dis
grace which are the natural results
sooner or later of pastime spent in this
way. Could not the law get hold Of
whoever 1t is who gets the cigarettes
for them? Could not some officer OF
II this is out of place in the Inquiry
Column, please make an effort to place
ii where II will catch some interested
persons eye, and help to start these
boys on the road to good Christian
Miss J. C. R.
The Times has no maudlin attitude
toward the errors of youth. Swearing
indicates a poverty of intellectual re-
source. The man or the boy who
cannot express himself in the terms
which are current in refined society
does not need to be sent to Jail or to
reformatory, where such language
is the accepted vernacular, but needs
the uplifting culture of a home en-
vironment.
without, in fact, minimizing the
gravity of any of the offenses men,
toned by our correspondent, we may
at least take occasion to moralize
moment on the perniciousness of the
gambling habit, particularly in the case
of youth Ethically considered it is
one of the most perplexing problems
with which the honest moralist has to
deal
From one point of view every form
of insurance is a gamble. The muta
tions and uncertainties of life are such
that it is difficult to distinguish them
in principle from gambling.
But there is one feature about the
form of gambling which
is indisputably evil, aside from any of
the refnements of ethics. 1t is bound
up in the proverb, "Come easy, go
easy" The winnings at the card table
or the roulette wheel, even if every
game in the world were square-which
lacks about 100 per cent of being true
are squandered with a reckless aban-
don born of the ease with which it is
won. And then, however long luck
may run in our favor, the time comes
when the general law of average makes
things even and the losses take place.
To make good these losses, which
rosy expectation always gilds with the
brightest rays of promise, requires the
most desperate expedients. 1t has made
thieves and paupers of honest and
prosperous citizens-it has violated
The fundamental rule of certain pros
oerity: "small and steady gains" No
of sophistry on the part of
the casuists of evil can reason away
,hese plain facts of common sense. No
in behalf of the largest
liberty of the citizen can nullify them.
The very fascination of the game
EASILY makes it habit, and when the
Duke of Wellington was reminded that
habit was second nature he promptly
and properly replied, 1T is ten times
nature
The millennium is afar off-and per-
laps will always be. 1t is too much
20 expect boys to grow up without
some of the exuberance which is some
lines too harshly characterized. But
# our correspondent is correct in her
statement that there are large numbers
Of boys-or even a small number
who are spending Sunday, or any other
afternoon, in gambling the authorities
nave work which they should attend
20 without delay. II