The Washington herald., 1913-02-10

One of the most deplorable tendencies
at the present time in England is the
increasing number of women in all
classes of society who are becoming vic
tins OF the gambling fever Not only in
England, but in all the larger cities OF
Europe. the same tale is told of wives
and daughters having become addicted
to the craze which so frequently Is the
cause of domestic unhappiness and finan-
cial ruin. Women are more inclined TO
gamble than men, according to the only
lady stockbroker" in London, who has
managed TO conduct a successful busl-
ness in stocks and shares. They are
hopeless plungers, ready to take profits.
but they will not pay differences.
So much for this phase Of the question.
There are other channels in which wom-
en- find an outlet for their passion for
gambling. One is on the turf. In Eng
land. within the past three years. the
number OF female gamblers in horse rae
ing has increased twenty-fold. Only the
other day, when woman was sued
in the City of London Court for payment
of bets. counsel stated that there was
"a bevy of fair gamblers in the neigh
borhood where she lived in London.
The tendency for women TO put their
money on the horses is said to be the
outcome of the bridge mania, which was
SO rampant a few years ago. Women
then got bitten with gambling general
ly, and learned to wager on their own
In way they had never dreamed OF be-
fore. when they turn their attention TO
horse racing they take to il like ducks
take to water.
Not so long ago a lady well known in
London society made 900 pounds on a
y H.
happens with men who are victims OF
the betting mania, there are thousands
of women in London to-day who are
more frequently losers than winners in
their turf transactions. But the differ
ence between men and women gamblers
is that the latter are bad payers. Men.
a rule, pay their debts of honor" to
the bookmaker: women are less scru-
pulous, and when they find themselves
unable to meet their obligations they
take refuge behind the British gambling
act. but the turf alone is not respons-
ible for the ever-increasing evil. Wom-
en- and young girls bet on football and
other kinds of sport 10 an extent that is
little known except to those who are
engaged in the business. While men lay
their soVereigns and shillinGs on this
and that match or race. the women folk
take risks whlCh tney can Ill aHOTd 10
shoulder.
But 1t is among what is called the
Upper Ten" that the most disastrous
results are brought about through the in
satiablc desire of women to gamble away
their own or their husbands money. In
London there has recently been a re-
vival Of secret gambling. the kind of
gambling that is allowed in casinos on
the Continent of Europe, and in this
form the sport women are as prominent
as men. SO marked has been this re-
vival in the British metropolis that con-
tincntal casinos has suffered a diminution
IN their returns.
This means that secret gambling in
London does not exclusively attract quite
simple and innocent people who are easy
prey to the adventurer. 1t is organized,
N several places that I could name, into
arge and secure parties, where genuine
Daccarat and other games are played. All
classes of English society are said to at
tend these gambling sittings, and women
figure at them as Conspicuously as mem
What is happening in London is hap
pening in all larger cities of Europe.
Everywhere the passion for gambling
among women has become epidemic. In
Vienna. for instance. the police have been
compelled to close some of the women's