South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-13
No Relief for CigarmakerS or
Dealers From Anti-Gambling
Order Prohibiting Gaming for
Cigars or Trade.
EXECUTIVE AND BOARD
OF SAFETY STAND PAT
Tell Dealers to Push South
Bend Made GOOGS in Legiti-
mate Way to Relieve Stagna-
ton in Market.

That the lid" clamped down by |
the board OF safety early in the pres
cnt administration. forbidding liquor |
Ia violations. gambling OF all kinds. |
and commercialized vice, IS "clamped |
down" for four years. is the substance |
IF "a letter addressed Thursday after |
noon to Tommy Moss. Sidney Unger |
and other "epistolicaI spOkesmen |
Tor the Retail Cigar Dealers assOcia- !
tion, by Mayor Fred w. Keller. The |
letter answers series OF epistleS re- !
ceived by the mayor recently stat /
ing that the retail cigar dealers had !
at "A meeting on Feb. IL. voted their /
approval of the action of the admin /
istration to suppress all gambling, I
and then suggesting that for the sake |
OF the local trade. the cigarmakers |
and cigar manufacturers, the en-
largo ought 10 DE lifted with regard |
To gambling for merchandise, step !
which the executive declines To take. |
\ similar request made In person
10y a committee from the cigar max |
ers' union before the board of safety |
a week ago. received a like answer /
from the board Friday. though it was |
conveyed with less fOrmality. III ap- |
pears that the mayor and the board !
are in perfect harmony on the subject |
Of enforcement OF the gambling /
laws. The suggestion in one of the !
letters to the mayor that it would |
not be necessary TO take any definite !
action in lifting the lid as 10 trade
gambling" defined as an innocent /
game" hut only 10 suggest that the /
word be handed around and violations
overlooked. appears TO have been re-
seived with "a degree of indignation. |
''One-Third" or "TNvo-Thirds".
Like the cigarmakers who appeared |
He saeH
Of the "lid-lifting' request. as MADE |
by the dealers. is that the local cigar |
business is being literally shot to |
pieces by the sweeping anti-gam bling |
order. The union men placed the
number of cigarmakers thrown out OF
employment at one-third the former !
force. but the cigar dealers have the !
ratio fixed at tWO-thirdS. Mayor kei- !
Ter takes the position that gaming |
for reward is gambling. whether the
reward be collected in money or trade !
and urges the dealers to do what they |
can 70 relieve the alleged stagnation |
in the local market by especially |
pushing South Bend made cigars.
The principal paragraphs OF the /
dealers resolution follows:
"RESOLNED further. that whereas
YOUR board of public safety has in |
cluded in its orders for the elmina- |
tion of all gambling two of the most |
innocent games considered as pass
times and which have brought upon |
the manufacturers of cigars stagna-
ton TO their business and also means /
the discharge of at least twO-thirdS of /
their employees. which we believe TO !
be a detriment TO the citys welfare. /
and whereas the retail cigar dealers /
have also been affected by said orders |
which means the discharge OF some |
of their clerks. which also tends 10 |
affect the welfare of tbs clmmun- !
'.THEREFORE BE IT T,ESOLNED
That We the retail cigar dealers of !
the city OF South Bend. do hereby /
pledge their support OF your honor |
able mayor and his board OF public /
safety I'm the elimination of all gam /
bling devices from the city. bat we
most earnestly plead for the sake OF |
those who have been thrown out of
employment and also for ourselves. /
who have been affected. that YOU re-
store TO us the use of cards and dice
for merchandise and merchandise
only. and We feel assured that the
major portion of the public VIII ap-
prove Of your action.
Mayor Keller. in his answer. finds
Il difficult 10 harmonic approval of
the administration lin the elimina
lion Of all gambling from the city.
with the immediate request that gam
bling that viii enure 10 the benefit
of the petitioners 10 the exclusion or
all others. ht RtIMlltths Nl az AthStr
overlooked His letter. quite lengthy
Is given herewith as 10 the most sal
lent features. He saws:
Csist OF Mayors Letter.
sIn reply 20 your communication
stating that an q meeting OF the retail
cigar dealers nf the city Wednesday,
Feb. IL. 1915 it was voted 10 heartily
commend The board Of safety for their
action in the elimination of all
gambling such as dice games. card
games slot machines punch boards
and all other forms Of gambling and
Offering your hearty support IN the en-
forcement OF the same. / wish 10
earnestly thank YOU Tor your hearty |
approval of our action.
However. IN the same cOmmunica- !
ton You plead for the sake Of your |
selves and those others affected by the !
order that some OF the forms Of /
gambling. namely. dice and cards /
ttermed gam bling by yourselves in /
another sentence OF your cOmmunica- /
tiOn) be restored.
You are doubtless entirely familiar I
with the law and know that there is a \
penalty provided for any OF the /
rambling above mentioned You are /
also familiar with the platform on
which was elected and also the state
ments made by me before election.
"Our platform stated very clearly
that We favored the enforcement OF
al laws that have 60 do with the pros
perity. morality and good repute OF
our city with a due resard 20 the re-
CONTINUED on PAGE TEN.