Evening star., 1950-01-10
Little Hope Of Passage
Is Seen for 0'Dwyer's S
Legal Gambling Plan
BY the Assoeiotsd Pres,


NEW YORK, Jan. 10.-Gam-
bling popped up today as a hot
political and moral issue in New
York State after Mayor William
O'Dwyer's proposal that betting
on sports contests be legalized and
supervised by the State.
Chances for adoption of the pro-
posal were viewed as dim at the
State Capitol at Albany. where
several members of the Repub-
lican legislative majority voiced
opposition.
The Mayors suggestion, how
ever, gave rise to spirited discus
sion in many quarters.
Some hailed the suggestion as
practical horse-sense, in the view
of realities. Others condemned
State-licensed betting as a threat
to the puhlic's morals.
Sport Leaders Cautious.
Still others-including the lead
ers of the sporting world-re-
mained guardedly non-committal
on the potentially hot political
issue.
Some of the ferment stemmed
from one Of society's oldest ethical
questions-the virtue of iniquity
OF the game of chance.
But the big factor-says the
New York Mayors this:
Enforcement of present anti
gambling laws is GENEROUSLY ex-
pensive and, furthermore, vir-
tually impossible because thou
sands of people want to bet. and
do-even though it's against the
law.
In his surprise statement yes
terday, Mayor Dwyer said he
would ask the State legislature
for courageous and sensible" ac-
tion to legalize sports betting and
put it under strict State control.
This, he said. would bring book
making out from the underground
and drive the criminal element"
out of gambling, much as the re-
peal of prohibition purged the
liquor trade of crime and violence.
At present, only two States In
the Nation-Idaho and Nevada
have legal commercialized gam
bling, in varying forms, accord
ing to the Council of State Gov
ernments.
Gov. Dewey Silent.
Gov. Dewey refused immediate
comment, but State Assemblyman
D. Mallory Stephens, Republican
chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee, ridiculed the Demo-
cratic Mayors proposal.
He can't take care Of it (gam-
bling in the CITY," Mr.. Stephens
said land he wants the State to
do it."
Some Democrats, however, ex-
pressed approval of the plan. Two
Of them said they would back
measures to give municipalities the
option of legalizing gambling.
The Federal Council Of the
Churches of Christ in America,
the Nations largest interdenomi-
national Protestant body, opposed
the plan on moral grounds.
Spellman Studies Proposal.
At the chancery office of the
Roman Catholic archdiocese of
New York a spokesman said
Francis Cardinal Spellman would
have no comment until he fully
studied the Mayors proposal, and
possibly not even then.
At present, New York. along
with about half the States in the
country, licenses pari-mutuel bet
ting at horse race tracks, but pro-
hibits taking of bets by independ-
ent bookmakers or at so-called
horse rooms"
Part of Mayor ODwyer's plan
was embodied in a bill introduced
in the Legislature last night by
Senator James j. Crawford,
Brooklyn Democrat. It would
legalize off-track horse race bet
ting, a move Mr.. Crawford has
unsuccessfully sponsored In pre-
vious sessions.
His bill. however, covers only
one phase of Mayor ODwyer's,
broad proposal, which would ap-
prove the booking of bets for such
sports as boxing, basketball, foot
ball and ice hockey. as well as
horse racing.