Evening star., 1932-10-09
Britain Concerned Over
The Irish Sweepstakes
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, October 8.-The country
this week is m the throeS OF the last
Irish Sweepstakes of the year. for in
spite Of the tariff war between England
and Ireland, the former is seized thrice
q year with the delirium of Dublin as
violently as the latter.
Indeed, threefourths of the subscrip-
ton for the Sweepstakes was derived
from England and attempts to prevent
the traffic in tickets on this side Of the
channel as a breach of the law have so
completely failed that the authorities
have practically retired from the strug-
gle in despair. The law against sweep
stakes here has broken down as abso-
lutely as the prohibition law in the
United States, with the result that
sweepstakes constitute the most pros
porous industry left in the Free State.
Subscriptions for the sweep on the
Cesarewitch, to be run Wednesday.
amount to nearly f3,75o,O00, or only
$1,000 less than was subscribed to the
Derby sweep. Prize money amounted to
over e2 100000. The Irish Hospitals
net on the three sweeps a year totals
some e 100000.
The situation is paradoXical The
by voluntary subscriptions. are urgently
in need Of money, while the Irish hos
pitals are rolling in riches supplied by
England in disregard of the law of the
land. British hospitals have hitherto
refused to initiate the Irish hospitals,
first on the ground of respect for the law
and, second, that subsidy from the
sweepstakes would do the funds of the
hospitals more harm than good.
1t is argued that Irish hospitals have
found the sweepstakes destructive to
voluntary contributions and that no
sweepstake could provide the British
hospitals with the maintenance of ex-
penditureS amounting to nearly f12,-
100000 a year. Moreover, without a
change in the law a sweep could not op-
crate in England, and the sense of de-
eency of the hospital authorities re-
volted against the idea of organizing a
SweepStake outside the country and in
weighing British subjects into a breach
Of the British law under the cover OF
foreign agency.
Strong resentment is felt at the now
of money from England TO Ireland for
the maintenance of Irish hospitals, and
the sporting element, which is hostile
to the anti-gambling tradition OF the
country has made repeated attempts to
induce Parliament to consider change
in the law on the subject. Parliament
has hitherto been adamant, while ad-
hitting the grievance of the British
hospitals and recognizing the complete
breakdown of the law in the face OF the
Irish challenge; but in the last session
Parliament agreed to appoint q COM
mission on the subject
X x*
This week the British Hospitals As
sociation announced change of atti-
tude, on the ground that something
must be done to divert the flow of Eng
land money from Irish hospitals to
England. The association has practi-
cally accepted the offer OF syndicate
of London business men to allocate rs
per cent of the proceeds OF a conten-
plated lottery arranged for British
hospitals.
obviously" says the president Of the
association, lit is impossible to hold the
lottery in this country, because 1t Is
illegal, but 1t would be perfectly legal
to distribute money given in the way
suggested" The decision OF the hos
pitals thus to enter frankly into COM
petition with the Dublin Sweepstakes
| and profit by the illegal sale OF ticKets
| in this country or elsewhere has aroused
! keen controversy in the press between
lottery end anti-lottery protagonists.
X +
The Daily Telegraph rejoices that
''the day Is nearer when the million,
We have been squandering on hospital
services for the Irish Free State will
be saved for our own people" The
Manchester Guardian laments the dc.
cision of the British hospitals to axso-
ciate themselves with. an undertaking
whose transactions are illegal in thi
country and rebukes the association fol
not waiting on the royal commission
report on the subject of legalizing tn,
lotteries Every previous inquiry ha.
rejected the legalization of lotteries OF
moral, social and practical grounds, bu
| 1t Is felt that In the present instanc,
the action of the hospitals Is forcinI
| Parliament to take q downward step
Gambling is admittedly much tn,
gravest Of all social evils in the country
and serious opinion Is disquieted st tn
prospect of Q stimulus to evil BY th,
oficial sanction Of lotteries.
tCopyfisht, 1s3a)