New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-23
Danish Lottery.
Promoted Here.
ROuses Protest
Consul Notifies Legation in
Effort to Avoid Inter
national Complications
Over Violation of Law
$50, 1000 Is First Prize
Postal Authorities Learn
of Scheme When N. Y.
Importer Gets Circular

A lottery of worldwide proportions
officially authorized and controlled by
the government of Denmark. is being
promoted throughout the United
IS. III violation OF the postal laws.
Many circulars have been received by
residents of New York inviting the re-
c,paents to subscribe to the scheme and
offering large prizes to the winners.
The postal authorities, when appraised
of the matter, could scarcely believe
che DANISH government was behind the
project and first expressed the opinion
that 1t was a fraud. They said the
lefnish government must have known
that the projection of q lottery in this
country was against the law and that it
undoubtedly would lead to internation-
al complications.
Consul General Beck, the Danish
Consul here, however. admitted to
reporter for The Tribune last night
that the lottery was regularly spon-
sored by his government. He said he
was surprised. however. that it was
being promoted in the United States,
since it is against the postal regula-
tions. He has brought the matter to
the attention of the Danish Legation
at Washington. to obviatc any inter
national difficulties that may arise, he
said, and every effort is being made to
have the authorities at home check its
further spread here.
$4,000 Largest Prize
One of the circulars was received
by L. D. Thornton, head of the L. D.
Thornton Company, manufacturers and
exporters of notion specialtles. at 1856
Fifth Avenue. The matter had been
mailed at Hamburg, Germany, a note
on the pamphlet stating that it was
done so in order to save printing and
postage expenses. The communication
bore the official letterhead of H. Seek
E. Co., Copenhagen. This firm, it was
explained by Mr.. Beck, is one of many
agents authorized by the Danish gov
eminent to distribute the tickets all
over the world wherever the laws Of
the nations permit.
The paper received by Mr.. Thornton
sets forth that only $4,000 tickets for
this lottery are being disposed of and
that 1850 prizes will be awarded, the
largest Of which is 100000 francs,
equivalent to about $4,000 at current
rates of exchange. Tickets can be pur-
chased by halves or quarters, a whole
ticket costing $40.
Mr.. Beck, whose Offices are at No. 8
Bridge Street. declared that the lot
terry has been frequently resorted to
by some European and South Ameri-
can countries as method OF raising
revenue. He said that just previous
to the sale by his government of the
Virgin Islands to the United States
the Danish government had authorized
lottery to repienish the islands cof-
fers, and that the sale of the tickets
was permitted in many Central and
South American countries. 1t was Gus
tomary for the government to retain
0 per cent of the proceeds and dis
tribute the rest in prizes, he said.
Mail Laws Respected
He explained that the government
usually authorizes hundred of agents
to distribute the tickets on a commits
sion basis, but that in every instance
they are forbidden to promote their
sale in countries where it is forbidden
by law or where their distribution in
any way violates any of a country's
regulations.
Il understand" he said, chat the
agents have been expressly told to re-
frain from selling these tickets in the
United States, and was amazed to find
them here recently. | learned of their
presence here first two days ago, and
Immediately got in touch with the Dan
ish Legation and informed them of the
fact. Everything is being done to
check their sale here, you may be sure.
We know it is against the postal regu-
lations.'
At the office of the postal inspectors
in the postoffice at Thirty-third Street
and Eighth Avenue, it was said that
the matter would be thoroughly gone