Montgomery County sentinel., 1941-04-10

OF county commissioners approved
a resolution providing that tele-
gram be sent to Governor O'Conor
asking that he kill the legislation.
Throughout the week opponents
to the measure had grown in num-
ber. Church groups in all sections
of the county and civic organiza-
tions voiced their disapproval in
messages to the Governor.
Defense of the stand taken in
the past by the county delegation
was expressed in a statement
signed by Delegates James w. Gill,
e. Brooke Lee, Stanton C. Peelle,
Jr., and Ruth Shoemaker, who in
troduced the bill and supported it
in the General Assembly. Recall
ing that the measure was brought
up at Annapolis just two days be-
fore the end of the session, the
Delegates declared that they had
been unable to give more than
"short and incomplete" considera-
tion to the proposal to legalize
pari-mutuel betting on the game,
subject to its approval in county
referendum at the time of the COM
ing special Congressional election.
They also pointed out that they
had promised to talk the matter
over with county residents and to
ask the Governor to veto the bill if
it appeared unwise. Their state
ment continued as follows:
"At that time we thought that
the referendum represented an ac-
ccptable disposition of the pro-
posal. After 10 days eonversa-
tions with county people and OBJ
servation of public opposition to
the entire proposal as expressed by
many groups with whom we have
not talked, we have come to the
conclusion that even the submis-
sion Of the question of the legaliza-
tion of commercial gambling to the
voters of Montgomery County is
unwise and we are joining in
letter to Governor O'Conor ex-
pressing this opinion and asking
him to veto House Bill 903."
The Delegates declared that they
had come to this conclusion despite
the fact that general information
in. their hands indicated success
for the measure in the referendum
election. They acknowledged the
"very real opposition" to accepting
money earned by the county from
gambling on the part of "a sub
lstantial and respected minority
generally described as the church
people"
Other reasons given for the re-
versal of their former stand on the
measure which they contended
would raise $25O,OOO yearly for the
county were: 1, realization that the
bill would legalize commercialized
gambling which, they said, the
Democratic Organization has kept
out of the county for 20 years; and
u, "the taxpayers who would have
benefited from the proposal and
who would probably have voted for
it on the voting machines" failed to
publicly support the bill.
Following is the resolution
adopted by the County Commits
sioners:
WHEREAS, a bill to provide
for the legalizing of pari-mutual
betting on the game known as
Jai-Alai, in Montgomery County
has been passed by the immediate
past Session of the General Assem-
bly, of Maryland.
"AND WHEREAS establishment
Of commercial and professional
gambling in our county will be
detrimental to the welfare Of the
County and its citizens.
"NOw, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Board of
County Commissioners Of Mont
gomery County hereby express
their disapproval of said Bill and
recommend to His Excellency, Her
bert r. O'Conor, Governor of Mary
land, that he veto said bill and be
it further resolved that a copy Of
this Resolution be Immediately
sent TO the Governor by telegraph,
the Clerk Of this Board being here
by directed to send such telegram
and 70 confirm tho aanoo hv 1offa1.