Evening star., 1949-06-12
Slot Machines
Backed Secretly
In Charles
Powerful Underground
Works Out Strategy
For Vote June Il
ey Alen Z frsssoa

IA PLATA No Janr II As
Chafles County pFeraFes tc tets
ca the eueStsar of legA.ta2ns asss
machines AlFrady hrFw pc~wt-
ful underground tosvra Aitgn~s en
the sadr 81 the gambling aes se~s
srv seefegly woskink cut strategy
10 sell the sdea To ths p4alR
80 quiet - Lse4f eAapa4 4gn 10
galn approval et TIE gvtvEenelEa
question or June :! InA, l!ses re.
fuse 10 talk ahou, tAs meetings
ALREADY held or the car planned
Monday night al Naloo'I
In Prince 0eogges County where
slot machines reosnus were voted
In, advocates Openly esgoased
their cause under the name O! the
County Hotel and RSsiA9TAn; A.
soeiatlon,
ny comparison, Charles County
Is = d.ficuit place 10 ferret cui In
formation about who Is behind
slot machines There has been
o widespread belief that there 10
no organized support within tho
county TO legAli1s the eeNioss
Jeln Opposition Ferees
The organizations that have
come out into the opcn on ths
issue are on record against LEGAL.
tned gambling They include the
Charles County Ministerial ANaos
citation. the Pomona Orange.
which IA the master Eranse Of the
county. and the parcnt-ieaehsr
associations OF Waldorf and La
Plata
The state Central Committees
Of both major political parties
have refrained from tAkins O
stand. ofieially. although there 10
reported 10 be some political sig-
nificance attached 10 the fact
that o Republican legislative del
egation pushed the plan through
the General Assembly
State Senator James n Monroe
OF Waldorf. patrons Of the bill.
said he is refraining from adyo-
eating passage Of the referendum.
His object IN sponsorinE the meas
ure. he said, Was 10 permit the
votes TO decide the matter
But there are Strons indications
that those who stand 10 gain
most from legalised sloi machines
al EEHssa N ~ u asA
/ underground" through which
they keep in elose touch with de-
veiopments throughout the county,
I where, II 10 said. the numbers.
racket nourishes and horse beis
can be placed at lnnumerable
bookie joints.
/ Barkeepers FerewarneA.
! A reporter for The Star learned
that his presence In the county
was known 10 certain people even
before he contacted them for news
about what the proponents are
doing.
For example. q baTkeeper here
was not at all surprised when the
reporter entered his place and. in
fact. he knew whst 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 10 carry uhs issue ee-
fore the voters, One informant
who refused 70 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. vas 10 wait until
after the two county newspapers
come of the preas Friday and
then release pro-slot machine ma
teriai when opponents cannot re-
ply through the newspapers Sim
liar tactics wefe used In Prince
Georges
The newspapers. incidentally.
are the Times Crescent. o Demo-
cratic weekly which has strongly
opposed slot machines. and the
Maryland Independent. Rspuhli-
can. which ediioriaIly has stayed
clear Of the issue
MinistesS Pisn sssetiaxs.
The proponents are not The only
onea planning last minute appeals
10 the voters. however.
| The Rev. Harold A. Milstsad es
Calvary Methodist Church. Wal
dorf. 10 president Of the County
Ministerial Association A series
Iof meetings 10 planned at various
lcomnuniiies thyoushout the com
ing week but. he said. "ws are nos
ready 70 announce all OF osis plans
yet. We have something plannsA
Jus. before the election
/ The frst meeting viii be hsld
Monday night In san3enoy Htsh
School Similar rallies will to
held In waldorf. HughessiIis and
indian Head