The New York herald., 1922-01-11
ATTACK
ANTI-BETTING BILL
Held in Effect a Censorship
and to Threaten Liberty
of the Press.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 1o.-Opposition OF
newspapers to enactment of proposed
ants-gambling legislation which would
prohibit the publication OF racing odds
and other data which could be used in
betting was voiced to-day before a Sem
ate Judiciary subcommittee by s. T.
Thomason, general manager of the Chi
cago TribNne'and a representative OF the
legislative committee of the American
Newspaper Publishers Association El-
bert II. Baker OF the Cleveland Plofi
Dealer, w. +. Wiley Of the Cincinnati
Inquirer and r. r. Mccormick of the
Chicago Tribune.
II. n. Pringle OF the National Reform
Bureau and the Rev. William $. Chase
of Brooklyn were among those who
spoke in support Of the proposed legis-
lation.
The legislation is proposed in rider
to the postal BILL which has passed the
Senate. and I'm bill introduced by SEN
ator Sterling (S. d., Republican. The
committee announced tonight there
would be no further hearings.
While not specially authorized by the
$50 newspapers comprising his associa-
ton to speak for them. Mr.. Thomason
stated he had submitted to practically
all the larger newspapers summarize
ton Of his statement and that all ex-
cept one supported his position.
He declared not more than 10 per cent.
of the members of the association print
racing entries with the odds or racing
results with the odds and that 80 per
cent. OF the papers. without any Federai
law to coercs them. had voluntarily dis
continued such reports. He asserted the
newspapers had "a higher standard OF
public probity" than the supporters of
the bill, and related the normal prin-
ciples OF decency which control the
prsss as other members of the COM
mtinity.'
Newspapers do not print betting odds
to promote gambling any more than
they print accounts of murders to pro-
mote homicides, he declared, adding
that the bill constitutes threat against
the right of newspapers to print the
news. a right the newspapers have not
abused In the past.
A declaration by Dr. Chase that the
danger to the newspapers lay I'm being
led into the ubiquitous business" which
was seeking to take away the liberties
of the people by placing them within
'the complete control of the gambling
ring and that "the enemies Of the
people are those powers which control
the press for selfish purposes" brought
legislation was the only control of the
press he knew. although attempts had
been made In various ways to influ-
ence it. Nothing could. In his judgment.
more affect the attitude of the press.
he said. than sucn 'coercive' language
as that of DR.. Chase.
There are more than two thousand
daily newspapers in the country. Mr..
Baker explained. and an overwhelming
majority OF them do not carry racing
news. Publishers Of the newspaps srs,
with here and there an exception, are,
he declared. as high minded body of
men as engage in any profession, with
as high sense Of public duty and pub
lie spirit as any.
He advised the committee OF the CO.
operation of the newspapers or Cleve-
land at all times in all measures of
public welfare, telling of effective work
rendered IN supprcssing what ne re-
ferred to as a crime wave. He esti-
mated that ninety-nine out of every
hundred newspapers did not consider
the proposed legislation necessary, and
asserted that all would find IL n ma
terial Increase In the ordinary difficult
ties of gsttng out newspaper
THE proposed legislation" Mr.. Wiley
was more n censorship than
the suppression of gambling"
The freedom OF the press. Mr.. McCor-
mick stated. was not privilege. while
Borah. Republican, Idaho, a
member OF the committee. declared the
presented was that OF the
growth of the bureaucracy Of the Gov
ernment, which, he asserted, was
placing this Government un-
der the Soviet form.