Evening star., 1937-02-06
CHURCH GROUP AID
PLEDGED FOES. Of
D. c. RACING BILL
Federation'S Committee on
Civic Affairs Warns of
Injury to District.
OPPOSITION MUSTERS
FORCES FOR FIGHT
Track Monopoly Seen in Bill
La Roe Says Claim of Money
Gain Is Shallow.

Churches today pledged its support
to any movement designed to defeat
the Norton bill to legalize horse rae
ing in the District.
The measure, according 70 the COM
mittee, is not only utterly lacking IN
merit" but would work positive
injury to the District"
The committees views we're outlined
by Wilbur A. LaRoe, jr., its chairm1n,
in a letter to Representative Bate,
Republican of Massachusetts,. a mam-
Der Of the House District Committee,
who vigorously opposes the bill.
Minority Report Planned.
Even before Bates received the let
ter, members of the committee who
plan to fight the measure when it is
called up on the floor Of the House
prepared to file a minority report,
which will take exception to certain
arguments in the majority report
which has not yet been submitted 10
the House Those who plan to sub
scribe to the minority report expect
to hold meeting next week to map
out program.
About the same time. Representa-
tive Sacks, Democrat of Pennsylvania.
also a new member of the commit
tee. who was absent when the racing
bill was reported out by the narrow
margin of 10 to 8, disclosed he would
offer an amendment when the meas
ure is considered by the House.
Sacks said he is not opposed to legal
lied horse racing in Washington, but
he does not propose to give a mo-
nopoly to one individual TO operate any
race track that might be established.
One section of the bill, Sacks points
out. will prevent the opening Of a
race course of less than a mile, and
that the only available place for such
course is at Benning, the site OF
the Districts former race track. WAL
ter O'Hara. millionaire sportsman
and operator of the Naragansett track
in Rhode Island. has an option on
the old Benning race track site. He
has promised to erect a s1,000,000
race course in Washington if horse
racing is legalized.
Foes Plan Active Fight.
Representative Hull, Progressive, of
Wisconsin, who voted against the
racing bill in committee, is expected
to take leading part in the battle
to defeat the measure in the House.
Bates as well as Representative
Shafer, Republican. of Michigan.
another member of the District Com
mittee, already are aligned with the
opposition forces.
If the municipal governments in
this country must turn to racing and
racketeering to pay their expenses"
said Hull. then We had better turn
everything over to the racketeers."
Let's come out into the open and
tell the people what We plan to do
about racing in the District" said
Sacks. Personally, I favor legalized
horse racing. But I don't approve of
giving one individual a monopoly on
the race track operation. That's
exactly what this bill proposes to do"
LaRoe told Bates the Civic Com
mittee Of the Washington Federation
of Churches stands solidly behind him
in his opposition to the bill. Your
attitude" LaRoe said, 'is much ap-
preciated by the church people of
this city"
Not in my experience have known
bill that more deeply aroused the
resentment Of the churches. This
bill is not only utterly lacking in
merit but it would work positive injury
to the District. The only argument
that can be marshalied in favor of it
is that it would employ small number
Of persons and bring some money
here, but these alleged benefits are
doubtful and at best would be obtained
at fearful price. Among the argu-
ments against this vicious measure are
the following:
81. This is the Capital of the Ma
ton and nothing should be done 10
lower its moral tone.
Cites Nearness Of Tracks.
"2. There are race tracks sufficiently
near the Capital to be reached by
those who desire to enjoy horse rae
ing.
"3. Gambling has been very difficult
to control here, due largely to in
ability to cope with the numbers
racket. Our gambling laws are in
adequate. In spite of diligent efforts
by the police the gamblers are now
| flourishing here, and gambling breeds
other crimes. If Congress will not give
us the anti-gambling laws which our
public officials have pleaded for, 1t
should at least refrain from positive
legislation encouraging the gambling
| evil.
4. Wholesale gambling IS the in
evitable concomitant Of any race
course, and every such race track has
its camp followers" consisting OF
about as undesirable group of per-
sons as can be imagined. This group
floats like gypsies from one race track
to another as the seasons change.
Drug addicts are often among them,
and gamblers are invariably present.
WHY attract groups like this to the
beautiful Capital Of the Nation?
Ivy City Experience Recalled.
IS. Experience in other States, In
cluding Massachusetts,, shows that this
sort of thing is contrary to the public
interest.
IS. We have tried it before with
most unfortunate results. An excel
lent editorial in one of today's papers
reminds us that the sad experiences in
connection with the Ivy City track
were such that 1t was wiped out Of ex-
istence by legislation to abolish the
gambling racket and associated
evils"
"7 The argument that the race
track will bring money here is very
shallow. The gamblers will, in fact,
collect large sums here and carry them
away. Money spent in gambling on
the races will be lost to local merchants
whose trade will be adversely affected.
Merchants never lose by having money