Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-24
WANTS BIGGER SHARE
IN GAMBLING PROFITS
French Government Thinks Tax
From LOCALIZED Games of
Chance Is Too Small.
Millions Taken From People An
nually-Increase Fourfold
Since 1907.


Foreign correspondence OF INC SUM-
PARIS, March IL. 1914.
Localized gambling in France has in
creased so enormously that the govern
ment has decided 1t ought to get greater
share Of the profits Under an act passed
in 1907 the state has been getting Is per
cent of the gross receipts. parliament
airy commission has brought In recon-
mendation that from the gross incomes
of gambling casinos the state should have
per cent on incomes less than $1,000 up
to As per cent on incomes exceeding
81, 600. 900. according to graduated Scale
One hundred and thirty-three casinos
were authorized by the ministry OF the
interior last season to have baccarat. the
mechanical racing horses. whist bridge
bezique. ecarte and piquet.
The official figures before the commits
sion show that the casinos in France at
summer resorts and springs took IN ABOUT
$40, 900. 900 profit during a single season.
Enghien, which is within seven and a
half miles from Paris. had about one
fifth of the whole, or 100000. one nun
dred and fifty trains a day run from
Paris during the short holiday season,
and the opponents OF gambling an1rfn
that hundreds Of young men and women
from Paris become bankrupt at the ia
bles every season.
Enormous Profits at Nice.
The municipal casino at Nice. owned by
the city. took in 81. co., 600 and paid nearly
all the expenses Of the local administra-
ton. A second casino at Nice under Ii
cense of the minister of the interior won
for its proprietors $4,000. There were a
number of little resorts which were run
at a loss.
Public gambling revenues, according to
the official figures, have increased about
four fold since 1907. These figures do not
include 1900 clubs in France where gam
bling is allowed and for which the state
also takes a percentage Of the profits, nor
the Pari-mutual machines at race courses
which last season took bets OF about
SSOOOO,OOO
Some of the newspapers in reproach-
ing the cabinet for trying to take more
tainted" money relate that one OF the
wealthiest proprietors of casinos III
France began as dishwasher IN res
taurant, and that his income Is no" afoo'-
600 a wear besides that from his accurnu-
iations. which amount to $60O0.0o0. An
other PROPRIETOR who was house paint
or Is reputed to have a fortune OF
100000
Swiss Finances Growing.
The little Helvetian republic is fast be-
coming one of the great money powers OF
the world 1t is estimated that twenty
Swiss banks have capital amounting to
considerably more than the banking
capitals of the national and state banks
in New York city.
Andre E. Sayons, one of the French
students of finance, who have inyesti-
gated causes for the rise or the SWISS
financial power. declares that it Is due
largely to a steady migration of French
capital which has been going on for
years and which recently has been
prompted particularly by new taxes IN
France.
Another reason is that Switzerland is
neutral territory among European powers
and its bankers are frequently the nego-
tiators of enormous loans, the bulk OF
the capital being drawn from Franco
Projects Record Commended.
The new project of police, Celestin
Hennion, has completed his first year
in office with record widely commended
in Paris. He has forced high police Off
Gals who formerly sat in state In their
offices to go out and personally supervise
the training Of policemen on duty in the
streets. which has worked to the i'm
provement of the entire force.
BY many simple devices he has also re-
lieved the congestion of traffic on the
principal boulevards, and he is now work
Ing in behalf of the Paris horses. noto-
rious the world over as underfed and
otherwise abused special committee
has been appointed with full executive
powers, not only in the streets but to in