Arizona republican., 1919-09-03
Gambling In Phoenix

We wish to speak of lately published interview with the chief of police on subject of gambling. We will preface our remarks with the statement of our highest regard for the chief of police. He is earnest alert. The police force is viglant and altogether we believe Phoenix is better poced than any other town of 10000 made up of such mixed and peculiar population as our own than any other we know of
 We think though the chief is in to the difficulty of suppressng gambling. In most cities there is gambling regardless of the laws against it but it is conducted with great secrecy that the public does not hear of it. the police sometineA may be excused for not knowing of the existence of certain joints, so secretly are they conducted.
 The situation was different in Phoenix. For some Searstit has been widely known that gambling was in progress It known where the joints were the street numbers of them; it known who the proprietors were. Participants in the games talked about it the streets; rather openly of the plays There in fact little secrecy about it. Almost anybody with money could get into game
 The killing of Harry Creme brought no revela- ton except to the people who stay very closely at home Men on the street, even men who are op- posed to gambling, knew where his joint was; knew who played there who lost and the few who won Hardly detail missing. And as much was known of the other joints.
 The chief of police points out the difficulty of securing evidence sufficient to convict It could be done he said only by the use of stool pigeons who untrustworthy. Yet the piegon is success fully employed elsewhere though his testimony standing alone may not be unquestionably accepted if he is the right kind of pigeon he will de- veIop sufficient corpoboratory evidence There must be way of enforcing the law against gamblers
 At any rate we do not think Phoenix will accept confession of helplessness against the gamblers While considerable part of the population was of the fragrant violation of the law now since the Creme killing. the whole is aware of it. and sure that something is going to be done about it.
 There are to be mayor and two commissioners elected next spring constituting majority of the city government The gambling question will be the overshadowing issue. An effort will be made-at least effort at experiment to see if gambling can be carried in spite of the If different government do more toward it's suppression than has far been done the people then may make up their minds that gambling Phoenix is ineradi- cable
 Our observations based upon a theory that gambling is being carried here now We do not know whether it is or not It was said after the killing of Creme that the industry had been sus- pended If so. and if it has not been resumed our remarks only academic. intended to controvert any notion that any criminal may be immune against the consequences of his crime.
 And what have said has been said in friend uness to the police and to the city administration We should much rather the present administra- ton suppress prevent gambling than to have it by another administration elected that issue in fact it would creditabe to Phoenix ot have such an issue raised but will raised ought to be raised if there The adn,instra- ton owes to itself well the city prevent the raising of that issue