Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-10

booths, etc. So, by glancing at your
ticket Cor, before buying. by studying
the blocks Of tickets exposed behind
vague idea Of what horse will pay.
Vague only, because imagine that
the race is run and they are dividing
up the total money lost, among the
total winners. II the majority Of
booths have sold tickets in the same
proportion as yours. the idea you may
have formed will be correct enough.
On the other hand, there are often
runs on q horse in certain high priced
booths at the last moment, which
modify all calculations. :.
j. They pay of in I'VE minutes. Run
ners take the totals to a-central office,
where the average is rapidly calcu-
lated and the price goes back imme-
diately to each paying booth.
At the recent Grand Prix. the win
ner (who was also the favorite) paid
.$4.10 for each 81 ticket and $3.50 for
each 81 ticket. The best money of the
day was paid by the winner Of another
race. the "Prix d'Armenonville," SIS
for each 81 ticket and $3.50 for each
50 ticket. Two places can also DO
bet on. paying regularly, Of course,
considerably less. i. :
Rich. and poor alike bank on the
"mutuels." i. ii; - Il, 4.
Mingled with uncertainty, there is a
feeling that great averages cannot
lie. and people shut their eyes to the
ruinous rakeoff. ,;,.-., ..
X Il \ tt -.
In the first year they held $50, 900, 900
stakes. and M. Oller, whose commits
sion was reduced to per cent,
pocketed $1,SG0,000, less what he had
to give back to the race societies. It
was too rich. Three years later the
French state said to him: your sys-
tenn is good. We authorize all race
societies to use it-and we shall adj
minister it ourselves"
They took 1t away from him. In q
word, the French state adopted mu-
tuel betting on condition that it hold
and distribute the stakes and pocket
the profits.
In the year before the war, 1913, the
profits were 10 per cent on $4,000, 900,
bet principally on nine Paris race
tracks, and the rakeoff was $500. 900.
The idea was that such profits from
such dubious sources are to be justi-
fed only by worthy uses. Charity got
per cent, hygiene per cent. agri-
cultural prizes per cent and per cent
went to the race societies which pro-
duced the money and, by their en-
bellishments and attractions, made a
brilliant Paris season.
Now, the war being over there is
no hesitation.
France, as q state, Is weighted with
debt and taxes. The cost Of living is
$50 per cent Of what 1t was before the
war, whereas in England 1t is only
100 per cent, and in America we have
not reached the 100 mark. Butsmasses
Of French citizens have more money
than ever in their lives before. For
one thing. workingmen have forced
up wages to q point where France
cannot compete in the world markets.
And they blow these wages-price Of
ruin. And all manufacturers and all
shopkeepers showed them the way.
In this plethora Of many and the
feverish desire Of the remainder to
participate. the rush to the betting
booths Is phenomenal. Men push to
them, fourishing their money and
calling, "Give me anything" They
don't care what they bet on. Women
send touts to buy the tickets, which
they cannot struggle for. Mobs OF
the poor" surge before the field