Evening star., 1938-12-06
New Law for Cities
To Fight Gambling
Heard by Institute
Wheeling Solicitor
Reveals PIon Before
LegoI OfficioIs

New law to enable cities to cope
with organized gambling in view Of
the reluctance of juries to convict
today was urged before the National
Institute of Municipal Law Odlcers.
Addressing the session of legal Of
f1cials at the Mayflower Hotel, Wes-
ley r. Tinker, assistant city solicitor
Of Wheeling. w. Va, urged legisla-
ton to permit municipalities to take
appeals in gambling cases which are
quasi-criminal just as is done In
civil cases. He also proposed that
the Federal Bureau Of Investigation
be brought in at least in an ad-
visory capacity even though the
gambling were of an intrastate ma
ture, holding that this could be
done under the general welfare
clause of the Constitution.
Tells of Pinball Fight.
Walter j. Mattison, city attorney
of Milwaukee, outlined the fight of
more than two years there to root
out pinball machines, whose annual
take was 5000, 900, and said it was
finally accomplished by a city ordi-
nance which eventually was upheld
by the courts. Not a single convic-
ton had been obtained in jury trials
of pinbau operators. Mr.. Mattison
said. He added that an effort now
is being made to do away with bank
night" adding that hereto it has
been impossible to get jury convic-
tions.
Members of the institute. city at
torneys from throughout the coun-
try, were to tour the Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation this afternoon.
The annual dinner tonight will
hear an address by Solicitor Gen.
eral Robert H. jackson.
At yesterday afternoons session
Elwood H. Seal. corporation counsel
for the District, discussed local
fiscal problems and related the
difficulties of the last few years in
attempting to frame a tax pro-
gram here.
Tells of Committee Work.
Telling of the work of the Ad-
visory Committee on Taxation, Mr.
Seal said that a difficulty he has
found is that people who come
before the committee to urge their
views generally represent special
interests"
Those concerned in the general
welfare are relatively few" he said.
The corporation counsel empha-
sized, however, that Congress is the
final Judge both of taxing and
spending here, and added that
those fellows would not be human
if they did not in some measure
reflect the views of their con-
stituents" in framing local tax
legislation.
Mr.. Seal reviewed Federal-District
fiscal relations, and said the tax
payers here feel that the Govern
ment should take on q greater
share of District expense than the
S., 900 900 appropriated annually.
Increase Doubted.
Right now, he explained, the
Government has 30,000,0 900 in
realty here, and an untold amount"
Of personal property on which no
taxes are paid, but for which it
receives the same protection as any
private property owner. Further,
he said. additional property con-
tinually is being withdrawn from
taxation.
He called attention also to the
fact that while the Government
allots $5.0OO,000 as its share of ex-
pense, it figured the value of these
protective services-such as police
and fire-at $9,OO00 900, at a time
when Federal holdings were far less
than at present.
Mr.. Seal expressed doubt, how
ever, that the Government con-
kx3I, L.