The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-12
Catholic Clergy Fauor
 Legalized Bingo Games Letter of Endorsement Sent to Governor Baldwin Evils of Uncontrol Gambling, Drinking Elm
 phasized = Fight Looms on Measure.
Special to The Democrat

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 State Capitol, Hartford, May 12- Governor Raymond E. Baldwin has received letters from number of Catholic pastors about the state ask ing that he give his support to the bill legalizing bingo. The bill, intro duced by Senator Albert L. Coles, of Bridgeport, comes into the senate Tuesday for action. Passage there is expected, but the bill may run into difficulty in the lower house.
 The pastors, said to include sev- eral from Waterbury, are under stood to have conferred recently with Most Reverend Maurice F. Mo- Auliffe, bishop of Hartford and gained his permission to seek the governors support.
 Morality
 The letters to the governor deny that bingo involves any question of morality, and declare that playing of the game, under church auspices. is of far greater benefit to the com- munity than many other forms of recreation.
 "Bingo does not injure the morals of our people" say some of the let ters", and on the contrary we believe from our experience that much gambling of truly sordid and in- furious nature is prevented by al- lowing the churches to continue, as they have for many years, to con- duct games of chance"
 The pastors say further: "The theater interests oppose us as they want everything derived from en- tertainment for themselves. The taverns oppose, because bingo, as played in our circles, lessens the drinking of intoxicants and keeps men a few evenings week away from their influences"
 Some clergymen," the letters go on, oppose gambling of all kinds as contrary to the moral law, but so far failed to point out what laws Of God are involved. or single irl- stance of where entertainment with games of chance, as we conduct it, has done any harm! To say that the church by conducting baZaars, etc., leads the young to evil is falsehood."
 we ask you to consider very care- fully this question which means much to our charitable and educa- tional endeavors. It is hard to say just what results may come from the continuation of the ban."
 Ministers Protest
 The letters came as a real surprise to legislative circles, and recall the fact that several months ago group of Protestant clergymen in Waterbury protested against the legalization of bingo. The ministers in a public statement said they were not among the "clergymen" supporting the bill.
 Senator Coles bill provides that any city or town may legalize bingo. A petition by 5 per cent of the vot- CTS would oblige the governing body of the community to vote on the question and favorable vote would allow the playing of bingo until September IS of the following year. This procedure must be repeated each year.
 Prizes at bingo. parties would be limited to merchandise, with 8 total value of not more than $250. Bingo licenses would have to be secured from the police department. Permits would be of two types, single-day permit and an all-year permit, with a graduated scale of license fees No more than 40 games could be played in one day.
 Limitation
 Backers of the bill believe that in its present form it would discourage professional promoters from seek ing to control the playing of bingo But it is understood that they are willing to amend the bill to limit sponsorship of the game to church, charitable, veterans and fraternal societies.
 The bingo bill has been reported OF favorably by the judiciary com- mittee and is now on the senate calendar.