Evening star., 1931-05-24
Conditions Rife Here, Says
Representative, Urging
DiSmissalS as Cure.
WHITE HOUSE TOLD
OF BETTING BY GIRLS
Government Loses in Time Wasted
on Lotteries and Pools, Let
ter Declares.

Declaring he has received numerous
reports from "unimpeachable sources"
that not only Government employees but
also Government officials are spending
a great deal of their time during work
ing hours in gambling on base ball
pools and lotteries, Representative John
G. Schafer, Republican. of Wisconsin,
has written Walter Newton, one of the
Presidents secretaries, recommending
administrative action.
Representative Schafer said last night
that he had suggested to Mr.. Newton
that it would be well for the heads of
Government departments and lnde-
pendent offices to issue orders putting
all employees on notice that If they par
ticipate in any lotteries or gambling
during the time they are supposed to
devote to Government work that they
will be Summarily separated from the
service. and allowed to devote all OF
their time to such gambling activities.
Gambling Scope Indicated.
Representative Schafer said that he
had received numerous reports from
practically all of the Government eS-
tablishments with detailed information
in many instances covering the preva-
Ience and scope of the gambling activi-
ties. AS an illustration he pointed out
that he is advised that in one section
where IA girls are employed that at
least 10 of them are devoting great
deal of time to placing bets. taking
numbers in lotteries and transacting
this business through an employe in
another section. He emphasized that
Government telephones are used to a
great extent in this gambling activity.
In his judgment the efforts of the
administration toward economy and
efficiency throughout the Government
workshop would. be greatly aided by ad-
nlinistrative action to stop widely
prevalent gambling in base ball pools
and lotteries and on horse races.
MANY Government Offices are honey
combed with gambling" said Mr.
Schafer, who explained that he had
been aroused to action by the large
number of reports brought to him on
this subject.
Representative Schafer is a member
Of the House Committee on Expendi-
lures in the Government departments
and, therefore, particularly interested.
He said that if Congress were now in
session he would forcefully bring the
matter of gambling in Government
offices during Government hours by
those on the Government pay roll to
the attention Of his committee, which
is the Auditing Committee for Congress
on funds appropriated for the opera
ton Of Government departments.
Letter to Newton.
Representative Schafer's letter to
Secretary Newton follows, in part:
II take the liberty to make a sugges-
ton which, in my mind, would add
10 efficiency in the governmental serv-
ice.
1T is a well known fact that hun
6reds, if not thousands, of Government
employees in the various departments
devote a considerable part of the time
for which they are receiving pay from
the Government to active interest in
base ball pools, horse race bets, and
lotteries In their own and ether Offices
and with the use Of Government
phones.
1T appears to me that it would be
sound policy IL the heads of all
executive departments and independent
agencies would issue an order indicat-
ing that any Government employe VINO,
during Office hours, uses the time Of
the Government in activities relating
to base ball pools, horse race bets and
lotteries. would find themselves cut of
the Government pay roll. so that they
could devote all of their time TO such
activities, If they 50 desire"