Evening star., 1949-06-12
Slot Machine Backers
Working in Secret
In Charles County
BY Alex z. Preston
Stuf SfoH { Correspondsnt

SiidilC SOOlAIy PlCPdlCS w NUtC
on the question Of legalizing slot
machines already here, power
full underground forces aligned ON
the side of the gambling. devices
are secretly working out strategy
to sell the idea to the public.
So quiet is their campaign to
gain approval of the referendum
question on June 81 that they re-
fuse to talk about the meetings
already held or the one planned
Monday night at Waldorf.
In Prince Georges County where
slot machines recently were voted
In, advocates openly espoused
their cause under the name of the
County Hotel and Restaurant As
sociation.
BY comparison, Charles County
Is difficult place to ferret out in
formation about who is behind
slot machines. There has been
a widespread belief that there is
no organized support within the
county to legalize the devices.
Join Opposition Forces.
The organizations that have
come out into the open on the
issue are on record against legal
iZed gambling. They include the
Charles County Ministerial Asso-
citation, the Pomona Grange.
which is the master grange of the
county, and the parent-teacher
associations Of Waldorf and La
Plata.
The State Central Committees
Of both major political parties
have refrained from taking q
stand, officially, although there is
reported to be some political sig
niflcance attached to the fact
that Republican legislative del
egation pushed the plan through
the General Assembly.
State Senator James B. Monroe
of Waldorf, patrons of the bill,
said he is refraining from advo-
eating passage Of the referendum.
His object In sponsoring the meas
are. he said, was to permit the
voters to decide the matter.
But there are strong indications
that those who stand to gain
most from legalized slot machines
already have q well l-organized
Underground" through which
they keep in close touch with de-
velopments throughout the county,
where. it is said, the numbers,
racket f1ourishes and horse bets
can be placed at innumerable
bookie joints.
Barkeepers Forewarned.
A reporter for The Star learned
that his presence in the county
: was known to certain people even
before he contacted them for news
about what the proponents are
doing.
For example. barkeeper here
was not at all surprised when the
reporter entered his place and, in
fact. he knew what the reporters
business was and some of the
places he had been. The same
was true at another bar in Wal
dorf.
Slot machine interests report
edly have been building up cam
paign fund TO carryathe issue be-
fore the voters. One informant
who refused to be quoted by name
promised that proponents would
come out into the open before the
day of the referendum.
One tactic being considered,
this source said. was to wait until
after the two county newspapers
come off the press Friday and
then release pro-slot machine ma
teria1 when opponents cannot re-
ply through the newspapers. Sim
liar tactics were used in Prince
Georges.
The newspapers, incidentally,
are the Times Crescent. q Demo-
cratic weekly which has strongly
opposed slot machines, and the
Maryland Independent, Republic
can, which editorially has stayed
clear of the issue.
Ministers Plan Meetings.
The proponents are not the only
ones planning last-minute appeals
TO the voters, however.
The Rev. Harold A. Milstead Of
Calvary Methodist Church, Wal
dorf. is president of the County
Ministerial Association. A series
of meetings is planned at various
communities throughout the COM
ing week but, he said. I'VE are not
ready to announce all of our plans
vet. We have something planned
Just before the election"
/ The first meeting will be held
Monday night in Nanjemoy High
School. Similar rallies will be
held in Waldorf. Hughesville and