The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-04-13
GERMANY WILL PUT
APPROVAL UPON
HORSERACING
Government, After Futile Eff
fort TO Stop Track Gambling
will License Bookmakers
and Participate in Revenue.

Berlin. Aprii 13-The Germnn au-
thnrities have again C~apitulnted TO
what thoS term the ineradicable
gaming instinct ct the average per-
sun After continued and vain at
tompts Co pat ana end Co promisCuous
betting on horse races. which involves
"a SUM yearly -cstitnsted 90 between
fl50. UHh. utO and $500. GOO. 600. they
have decided 60 license hookmukinR,
BIS an enort To- secure fur the state "a
percentage of this sum. 4 measure
to this end. already reported briefly
by cable, has been adopted 10y the
federal council and is now awniiinE
the action 90 the reichstag. II b.
hoped tu have it become effective in
time Tor the Budou-B Baden races next
August.
Heretofore tho only form OF betting
sanctioned by law has been hy means
of the pafi-mutuel machine. This,
however. was available oniy 20 per
SONS able to visit tie race tracks
The result rs thai h vast army OF
h~oukmakers. estimated az 5000, ply
their business in defiance OF the law
Dr. addition every barber shop and
thousands OF cafes and similar re-
sorts harbor their haudbook men.
Competent authorities estimate the
number Of business places where
waRers can be laid on horse races AT
over 200. 900. Prosecutions for book
making increased from 1000 in 1900
10 5000 In 1919. For the most part
they resulted in trivial fines or short
Jail sentences, and the business went
ahead just the same The 0ettor,
too, Is outside the law. and has no
remedy against dishonest handbook
men or bookmBkers who refuse TO
settle winning wagers.
The number OF licensed bookmak-
ers is not hXed IN the new measure.
but II is understood hat the govern
mcnt contemplates licenses for about
nifty. scattered throughout the em-
pire, each OF which Will be entitled to
establish branch offices To meet the
demand. Notwithstanding rigorous
provisions against Illicit betting. pun
ishing both lbookmaker and bettor
Cthe latter with I'M up to S250), eN-
perts believe that Illicit books viii
continue TO flourish, not only because
the wage clerks and small
salaricd men who today furnish the
bulk OF the handbook custom cannot
AFFORD the minimum stalk of Si2, but
because they heavy taxation of the IL
censed bookmakers will enable the
handbook men TO offer far better
odds.
Since six per cent OF every bet en-
ltered win go To the government as an
initial tax. and winning bets VIII Pc
mulctcd with an additional tax Of
from six per cent, on bets at odds -
two To one or less, up TO 20 per cent
on the long shot of twenty 70 one 4
better. the man who plays "a heavily
backed odds-on 9avorlte, Say al seven
to i've. may risk "a possible line rath"i
| than the certain loss of nearly hall ht'
Hcauiy winnings. To hackers Of hun
/ dred 10 one outsiders the prospective
Surrender of some S25 Of q St0O VII
be equally deferred.
Limiting authorized gambling undol
| this law TO horse racing. the govern.
ment In its Introduction Co the OH
pronounced against betting on iopt'
ball aud other sports popular with th'
middle and lower classes. Co save
them from the gambling c~ontagi"h
Omcers and soldiers are also classe'
in the undesirable category. book
makers being forbidden 10 accept bet
| from members Of the Dilithry terces
and betting on races with gentlemen
Jockeys is also prohibited.
An Important provision Of the pro
posed law makes winning wagers col
lectiblc at Law. provided they are eacI
cash wagers. This. 81 rs believed, Wi
greatly reduce the number OF dishon.
est bookmakers tn maximum pen
atty for unlicensed bookmaking Is ''
%, two years Imprisonment n 81,
SEQ line, ms %aguin.t six months an
xl25 al present. Bcttors dealing VIII
unlicensed bookmakers also max
themselves liable to imprlsoumon
and tine, and to the loss Of an r-in
wugercd which viii be- conhscated 81
the state. The police may forbid in
publishing of Ups ana form sheets.
The government estimates that tn
new law wlu produce al least $1,000,
600 yearly. ul which s.. UoO, 600 VII
go 20 the states where the races d
question are held. 90 be- devoted 90 m
encouragement OF horse breeding, am
1900. 900 &C. Inc federal treasury De
spite tho reduction of tho lax on par
%uutuel takings. it ls not believed tina
returns viii be 0ciow the present hs
urcs. which are approximately $4,000.
GOO yearly. since betting throush IN
machines Is Ia Dee permitted, with rc
st%rictions. on races outside Germany
Under the existing law, the machine
may be employed only Tor domesii
races.