Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-06
U. S. Lottery
Would Stop
Relief Drives
Plan Urged to Raise
Army, Navy Funds
BY DAMON RUNYON


raise enough money to cover
the requirements of both many
times over without any more
drives" against the already
well burdened business men and
the general public.
Therefore, il seems to me that
the government might well be
giving serious consideration to
a federal lottery to operate for
the duration of the war and
perhaps a year afterward.
II would do away with much
of the confusion of the various
drives" which are now quite
necessary since the government
makes no definite provision for
the causes in which they labor.
but which can never raise all
the money required
DRESIDENT ROOSEVELT is
L quoted as saying that this
will be a lengthy war. and he is
probably right.
Thus the drives" must con-
tinue unremittingly and prob
ably with steadily increasing
demands upon the private purse
of the public unless Congress
authorizes the money from the
general till. which is not likely.
A federal lottery. which be-
lieve would net S250,000, 900 per
year TO the government on the
basis OF a drawing once
month. would eliminate the
necessity for these drives"
which in time must sorely tax
the reserve funds of the people,
coming on top OF other demands
that must be met
A lottery would make ample
provision for the families of the
men In the service who may re-
qulre relief. and the number will
be very great as the army and
navy grows, besides taking care
OF the USO and giving it suffi-
cient funds TO vastly amplify its
meritorious work.
THE collection Of small coin
Il in theaters, the calls upon
the time and resources of civil
lans for benefits OF various
kinds, and all the huffle-scuffle
now attendant upon raising the
money would be done away with
and would release 10 other i'm
portant work many individuals
qualified for active service whose
efforts in the drives" naturally
preclude duty elsewhere.
| am not undertaking their
efforts. They are all doing a
great and noble work, yet il
seems 10 me that in view of the
fact that all the money needed.
and more, could be raised
through lottery in a very short
time. the number of persons en-
gagged in the drives" and the
energy expended is out of pro-
portion 10 the financial results.
l mean as compared with the
possibilities Of lottery:
AM told that while many gen.
Il tlemen in high places in
Washington would like 10 see
lottery, others equally high do
not approve. am told that
President Roosevelt himself is
not enthusiastic about lottery
though / do not believe there is
any record of a definite express
sion from him on that point.
However. II is also said he
does not favor general sales
tax which now seems inevitable.
so he could change his opinion
about lottery. too.
l repeat what | have said be-
fore that / would not want TO
see a permanent lottery in this
country. II would be unneces-
sary in normal times and prob
ably a nuisance. but unless the
government makes appropria-
tons for the relief of distressed
families of service men, or the
public support reaches a point
where the situation can be fully
covered without other assist
ance. / think lottery would be
boon TO those concerned.
THE lottery could be put into
Il operation by the government
with less expense than was in
volved in any of the Setups for
war work. II could be turned
over 10 Secretary of the Treas
ury Morgenthau and operated
through his department and
perhaps the post office depart
ment.
II would not require more than
a few weeks to get ready for
the first drawing and from that
moment the cash money would
be pouring in.
i suppose I ought TO quit
knocking myself out at intervals
about this matter. but il frets
me TO read about the compare
lively small money that is being
Clipped in for the most worthy
causes of the war. involving the
wellbeing of the service men
and their families, when a mere
twist OF the official wrist would
completely solve the problem.
Copyright. 1917. by King Features
Distributed by International News Service