The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-05-08
PLAN NEW FIGHT AGAINST
RACE TRACKS
Reform Bodies To Begin CRU
sade Against Pari-Mutuels
And ssBo0kies''

A new offensive against race-track
gambling is about to be started by
the reform organizations which have
become exercised over the fact that
the betting industry is more flourish
ing than ever.
i With the approach Of two great
tracing classics-the Derby in Ken
lucky and the Preakness in Mary
land-it has developed that ennis
Isaries of the International Reform
Federation and similar organizations
are to be sent to the principal tracks
for the purpose of gathering new
material to be used in the crusade.
The reform federation, OF which
DR.. Clarence True Wilson is the
vice-president, will center activities
upon the pari-mutuel, the book
maker and the poolroom.
Its alarm is due largely to the
fact that since 1920, despite the
passage of legislation in a number
of States making race-track betting
illegal, twenty-seven new tracks
have sprung up. The Rev. Henry
W. Pringle, assistant superintendent
and law enforcement director, esti-
mates that of $2,00O,OOO,OOO which
/ he says changes hands annually in
gambling in America, at least $780,
100000 is chargeable to racing, and
half of that to the pari-mutuels.
The prospective recrudescence OF
the anti-gambling fight, however, is
scheduled to hit at first at the bet
ting game in States where the laws
prohibit any kind of wagers. It al
ready has started in Ohio, where, at
Coney Island, near Cincinnati, an
other modern racing plant, accessible
by trolley car, boat and rail and with
new 100000 steel grandstand, Is
about to be opened.
A letter which is being sent to
citizens of Ohio on the subject says.
in part:
Ohio has been exploited extern
sively by alien and resident gamblers
until it now has nearly twice as
many race tracks for pari-mutuel
betting as any other State in the
Union, including Kentucky and:
Maryland. which legalize race-track
betting.
AS the laws of Ohio strictly pro-
h1bit gambling both by bookmaking
and pari-mutuels, this condition in
your State is very serious" &
The reform body has material
gathered to be used in its new on
slaught, which will be directed also
at the repeal Of the pari-mutuel laws
in Maryland and elsewhere.
DR.. Pringle has the names and de-
scriptions Of zoe .'bookies'' in New
! York. Chicago and New Orleans and
the names of their cashiers, or
money handlers.
With only Maryland and KEN
lucky legalizing the mutuels, the re-
form leaders point out that the in
creased number of tracks since 1920
shows that the law is being Haunted
by those who profit from the in
dustry. There are now about fifty
tracks in the United States and
canada which are operated, accord
ing to DR.. Pringle, primarily for
gambling. Wagers at the four
Maryland tracks during 1920, he
says. exceeded $6O.O0O,O0O with a
"rake-off" for the jockey clubs OF
about $6,0O0,OOO.
The moral reaction that came
after the World War had its part in
causing the reopening of many rae
ing establishments and the present
nourishing state of the bettig game,
as DR.. Pringle sees it. Purses dis
tributed at the various running
courses, amounting to $2,391,625. in
1872 had risen to Ss,675,S1l in
1923, according to the figures COM
piled by the federation.
DR.. Pringle SCOTS at such laws as
those in Maryland, which he says,
"illogically' prohibit both book
making and pari-mutuels, but which
accept betting at certain periods,
within certain Enclosures.
Owners" he declared, "prate
loudly about horse breeding. but
their love for the thoroughbred
never induces them to keep the
gates open for racing after the LID
goes down on the betting"
DR.. Pringle asserts that the hope
ful element in the present situation
is that civic organizations in Mary
land, Kentucky and louisiana have
declared war on the gambling mer-
eenaries who have utterly corrupted