San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28
NEW YORK DOES
NO 7 WAN 7 To
| Be REFORMED
kacetrack Book-makers Re-
leased as Soon as
Arrested.
|CAMBLING CRAZE ON
Morals, If They
Still Exist, Are at
Low Ebb.
|GAMBLING CRAZE ON
By ROBERT T. SMALL.

III JlV<1bhs
copyright. by The San Antonio Light.
New York, Oct. 27.-Saving is a
thankless job. The way of the re-
forln,r is hard. 1t once was said Of
Philadelphia that she was corrupt
and content By the same token,
if New York is wicked, she also is
willing.
Dry raiders meet with Kisses and
sometimes with a bombardment when
they try to mop up restaurant or
old-fashioned bar. An anti-gambling
squad aroused roars of protest when 1t
arrested 80 pinochle players in one OF
the old "back room" resorts. The
arrests of the promoters of a neigh
borhood lottery was followed by great
Indignation on the part of the per-
sons who were trying to win the capi-
bal prize or any part of it. They in
sisted that the lottery was a fair ana
square, open and above board game
and they were more than willing to
take their chance. They cited the
Further fact that, in some OF the
American republics. the lottery is
national republics, just as legitimate
10 the Latin-Americans as the income
tax is to North Americans. :.
Then came q series of raids on the
book-makers at the race tracks. These
raids came at time when everyone
WAS interested in racing hlcause oil
The splendidly promoted Zev-Papyruss
hatch. The raiders we're jeered and
booted and pushed about by the
crowd, but they always got away with
n handful of the layers of odds. This
MAS the beginning of a crusade by the
Society for the Prevention of Crime,
lind it was frankly admitted at the
Headquarters of this organization that
The book-makers were not the real OBJ
Elective of the crusaders. They are
hoping to shut up every race track
|lbOut New York City. They felt that
convictions under the gambling law
would Lad to injunctions against the
Hockey Club for the operation of the
Irack. They could be shut up as
huisances.
Book-makers Land on Top.
Thus far the book-makers have had
he best of it. Manyuof them have
been dismissed by the trial magis-
frat,s and others are expecting SINH
ar treatment. Betting is not recog-
|,ized at any of the tracks. The anti
law was passed in 1905
BIS the result Of fight led by Charles
b. Hughes, then the governor of the
ktatc. Since that tim. there has been
betting, of course, but it has been re-
tarded ms q transaction between indl-
tiduals. with no record or receipts.
Oral betting" they have called 1t,
Ind attempts in thu past to stop 1t
lave failed.
And now the lances of the Society
or the Prevention Of crime are level
ID at the theaters. 1t is claimed that
his is thu worst season, morally
&peaking, in the history of the thea
err in America. Perhaps that is the
Feason for the high prices the
kant to be reformed. L protests vio-
emily against, being saved.
Rev. John s. Sumner, one OF the
leaders in the move to clean up New
FORK. whether 1t wants to be cleaned
bp or not, says that the stage has
touched lower level than ever be-
Iore. both in the exploitation OF sala-
ious themes and in the exhibition OF
Pudity."
Want Citizens Jury.
Mr.. Sumner said that actually the
|tmosphere about some of the shows
so bad that the moral character Of
Inc scene shifters is being imperiled.
kbout the only reform he has BEEN
Ible 70 accomplish by direct appeal 10
|he managers, Mr.. Sumner added, was
he substitution of white light for
red light over n bedroom door in
Inc of the revucs where burlesque on
Inc play, Rain" was being per-
Horned. -!
IL is now proposed to revive the
citizens jury" system and have a
barty of twelve disinterested parsons
bass Judgment upon some of the
Broadway productions. This plan
cas evolved more than n year ago,
inf died out before it could be used.
Augustus Thomas. the Judge Lands
Il the theaters, is said to be willing
or n test OF the system and is sign
ns I'D as many managers as possible
abide by the decision of the jury rs
6iAking changes or abandoning GER
|aih productions.
Ii is announced that four produc-
lions in particular are on the carpet
or Jury trial. The names of the
filthy four" have not h,en made pub
|ic. and thereby the theater-goers Of
he metropolis. some three-quarters Of
million a day, are being made ex-
remely nervous trying TO discover
Ehat they are. Some of the play
Eoers are able to make pretty fair
(uesses, but the point is they don't
know. Consequently they are Won
sring Just which of the many salaci-
us shows they should see a second
- - -. ILL., -. :