Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-21
BY FREDERIC J. HAsK1N

Washington, D. C. Jan. ls.-Ihe
Congress of tho United States is now
struggling with the question OF further
reform LEGISLATION. This time 1t IL, on
the face OF 1t, designed TO hit at horse
racing, but as a matter OF fact prooao-
" would preven: newspapers from
printing sporting news OF any kind and
give one government agency a fairly
strong hold on the press OF the couh-
try
Professional reform agencies are Ac-
lively behind the measure. trying 10
defend il from subcommittee OF Inc
Senate Judiciary Committee
There has been expressed before the
COMMITTEES not only fear OF the inme-
diate effect OF the legislation. II IL
becomes a law, but apprehension oe-
cause OF the general tendency OF such
legislation. There has been freely ex-
pressed to the committee holding Inc
hearings the opinion that the measurs
Is merely a symptom OF the trend OF
legislation toward regulating every :
thing in the country. paralyzing one
business after another by putting them
into governmental straight-jackets-
Senator Stanley. OF kentucky. one
Of the strongest opponents OF the bill.
has this to say about the measure;
When you have placed censorship
on Nue lIe-0O-C OIL bpGeN4l AIN es'S
press. you have not merely Invaded one
constitutional right: you have I'M
periled them all. Destroyed the free
dom OF the press. and your hands are
unshackled to destroy the freedom oil
conscience, immunity from arrest, or
any other outrage or act OF tyranny
against which the people are not pro-
tecied by constitutional guarantees
This, the Senator thinks. Is the worst
ae tho "leEi4la ftyN f.Ch' afSitCt-
ing the country.
II has been pointed out TO the com
mittes that passage OF the bill. unless
the president yetoes II. would impose
restrictions on tho American press for
mora severe than those imposed on this
papers OF auiocratic Europe at Its
worst.
AR-REACHING EFFECTS
The bill would provide that anyone
guilty OF sending information thru the
mails upon which betting ODDS could
be based. or OF sending the actual odds
could be sent to the pen!tentiary for q
period OF five years A strict interpre-
ta;ion OF this would work out SO that
\ school girl writing TO her pArents
that she had bet 10 cents on n basket
bail game could be imprisoned. sena-
tor Stanley pointed ou; this fact to ths
committee. and added. 1T may be said
that the JUDGES would not impose such
severe penalties. but one might be
found occAsionally who had as little
sense as the Senate OF the United
States"
Opponents OF tho alleged censorship
bill' have pointed out repeatedly that
the legislature OF any ratc where rae
ing is permitted could have all the
tracGs in the ytate closed within le
minutes after the legislature convened
II 1t was so desired
Newspaper publishers and the Ameri-
san Newspaper Pubiiahcrs' associa tior
have been very active in opposition &c
the measure. II has been pointed out
by s r. Thoms~on. ono of the officcrr
OF this organization. that probably not
more than 10 per cent OF the papers
included IN the membership OF the as
ISOLATION print racing tips OF results
with betting Odds.
''Crdc- this law az Il 10 drawn Mr.
Thomson pointed out. under an su-
tocratic administration OF the Post o.
flee Department. We could TO longer
safely print tho fact that a notorious
embezzier had won S5co. 600 at IAton!n
that large sums were being waeerei