Evening star., 1937-03-10
RACE BILL FOES
THREATENED WITH
POLITICAL" RUIN
House District Committees
to Bare Plot to Kill
Measure.
INJURY ATTEMPTED
IN HOME DISTRICTS
Preparing Minority Report as
Preliminary of Expected
Bitter Fight.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Two members of the House District
Committee, it was learned today, have
been threatened with political assas-
sination' if they continue to fight the
bill to legalize race track gambling
In Washington.
One of the members, who does not
want his name revealed at this time,
plans to disclose the source of the
threats on the floor of the House when
the measure is called up for considera-
ton March %. He predicted his story
would create a sensation
Already, it was said, attempts have
been made to injure the political
standing of the two members in their
home districts. Neither of them, how
ever, has been frightened by the
threats, and both are making extens-
i've preparations to take an active
part in the impending battle to bring
about the bills defeat.
These two members, together with
Six others who voted against reporting
the bill out of the committee, are
putting finishing touches on a minority
report, and expect to file it with the
House before the end of the week. Each
OF the eight members has sought in
formation from various sections of the
country relating to race track gambling
and will include it in the report and
also use it during debate on the bill
on the House floor
Representative Bates Republican. of
Massachusetts, has collected data
about conditions at the race tracks
IN his own State as we'll as at the
Narragansett Track in Rhode Island,
which is operated by Walter E. O'Hara,
who has promised to establish similar
race course in the District if racing
Is legalized
Bates, together with Representative
Hull, Progressive, of Wisconsin. are
expected TO take a leading part in
the fight to have the bill killed in the
House. Representative Shafer, Re-
publican, of Michigan has promised
to join them. All three are members
OF the District Committee.
Cites Blow to Stores.
Shafer said information he had
gathered from various cities in the
vicinity of race tracks had convinced
him that Washington would suffer
from legalized racing.
The data in my possession" he
declared, show that the merchants
In the cities near the race tracks
cannot sell merchandise during the
racing season. Neither can they COL
lect bills. But after the racing season
Is over business conditions return to
normal.
Il am afraid a similar situation
would exist in Washington if race
track gambling is legalized"
Shafer gathered his information
from cities in the vicinity of the
Santa Anita track in California, the
Hialeah track in Florida. and from
business men in Detroit, where horse
races are held annually at the State
fair grounds.
Monopoly Curb Suggested.
Representative Sacks, Democrat, of
Pennsylvania, another member of the
District Committee, is preparing an
independent report on the racing bill,
~ SAi6 OH diilNIlIlllSllt NlIlCll Will pre-
vent one track operator from getting
a monopoly on racing in the District.
He explained that the bill, in its pres
ent form, permits the establishment
of mile tracks and that the only site
IN the District where such a course
could be operated is in Benning.
OHara is understood to have an op-
tion on that site.
Sacks will recommend that tracks
of half mile or more in length be
allowed under the bill
Personally" said Sacks, Il am not
opposed to legalized racing, but I do
not approve giving one individual a
monopoly on the racing business"