Evening star., 1936-03-14
OUTLOOK IS DIM
FOR RACING BILL
Dirksen Says Proponents
Have Not Made Out
Convincing Case.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

The fate of the Norton bill to legal
ize horse racing in the District hangs
in the balance today, with indications
that if it ever reaches the House calen-
dar it will go there stripped of some
of its present features.
The sentiment of the Judiciary Sub
committee of the District Committee,
which has just concluded hearings
on the measure, is reflected in the
opinion of Representative Dirksen, Re
publican, of Illinois, who took an ac-
tive part in the proceedings.
"In my Judgment" he said, "the
proponents of the bill did not make
very convincing and conclusive
case"
Chairman Palmisano Of the sub
committee. likewise, is not satisfied
that the District wants legalized rae
ing. He predicts that if the bill is
reported to the full committee, 1t will
first be drastically modified.
Palmisano particularly does not like
the revenue provisions in the bill, and
said if he has his way, the operator
of the proposed race track would be re-
quired to pay $4,000 for each day of
racing, the same amount paid by
Maryland tracks under the present
license system. In addition, he pro-
poses to limit the length of the racing
season. The bill now does not fix a
limit
Economic Effect Considered.
Dirksen pointed out that before he
agrees to support the bill, he wants
to determine the economic effect that
legalized horse racing will have on the
District. Information givel- me-" he
said, shows there are 10000 persons
on various pay rolls in Washington,
and that the monthly pay roll totals
S126,000,000. I vast to know just
what is going to happen to this pay
roll if horse racing is legalized."
Moreover, Dirksen is doubtful
whether Congress wants to establish
a precedent at this time, and legalize
gambling. He said as far as he can
learn Congress never before has legal
lied any form of gambling.
The final session of the subcommit-
tees hearing on the bill yesterday de-
veloped, as anticipated, concentrated
attack on legalized horse racing, which
WIS led, Unexpectedly, by Andrew J.
tCy) Cummings who has managed
the Laurel track for many years.
Cummings pointed out there are
enough race tracks already established
in nearby Maryland to meet the de-
mand of all Washington sportsmen,
and he doubted seriously whether le-
galized racing in Washington would
yield anything like the 100000 in
revenue for the District which the
track promoters predict. In fact, he
said, legalized horse racing would
break the District In six months.
Would Spend s2,50O.00o.
Walter E. O'Hara, operator of the
Narragansett Park track in Rhode
Island, promised the subcommittee
several days ago to spend $2,500,000
in developing one of the finest race
courses in the United States on the
site of the old Benning track, If racing
is legalized. Cummings, however, in
dicated he regarded the figure as ex-
cesSive, by pointing out that the Laurel
track was built for less than s500,000.
Right Rev. william S. Chase of the
International Reform Bureau directed
the opposition to the bill, introducing
the various witnesses. These included
George e. Sullivan, chairman of the
Law and Legislation Committee of
the Federation Of Citizens Associa-
tions; G. M. Clark, who identified
himself as a former newspaper man
and representative of the public, and
Henry N. Pringle, assistant superin-
tendent of the International Reform
Federation.