Evening star., 1951-03-17
Legal Gambling
CanpaiignDraws
Probe Request
HyottsviIIe Meeting
Asks State Senator
To Obtain Inquiry

A grand jury investigation into
the current campaign for legalized
gambling in Prince Georges County
has been requested by a group of
county residents.
Meeting last night at the
Hyattsville Methodist Church,
about IS residents from various
parts of the county suggested the
grand jury investigation in let
ter to State Senator John R.
Fletcher.
They urged him to turn over all
communications he has received
in favor of legalized gambling to
the States Attorney for presenta-
tion to a grand jury "for a de-
termination of whether or not this
current promotion campaign is
receiving the backing and support
of county, State or interstate
gambling interests"
Circulars Criticized.
The citizens particularly criti-
cized circulars in favor of legalized
gambling put out by the Small
Businessmen's Committee of the
county. One promotion letter of
this committee was shown which
read:
"Dere Teechur unless we can
pay teachers fair salaries, our
children will be spelling it that
way. :"
This circular and others dis
tributed in favor of legalizing slot
machines have 'far reaching i'm
.plications in view of recent dis
closures by the Senate Crime In
vestigating Committee under the
Craftsmanship of Senator Kefau-
yer" the citizens wrote to Sena-
tor Fletcher.
Evidence presented before the
Kefauver committee had disclosed
instances where national crime
syndicates and local gambling in
terests have used local civic and
veteran groups as fronts for their
activities"
Write to Legislators.
The citizens said their group
had no authority to investigate
such groups as the "so-called
Small Businessmen's Committee to
determine the true nature of their
financial backing" but that "the
public interest demands that such
information be disclosed"
Another letter, addressed to the
entire Prince Georges legislative
delegation expressed confidence
that you will not be stampeded
by the receipt of a few hundred
dictated letters written to per-
Isuade you to introduce a bill for
the benefit of a few short-sighted
businessmen. -
Mrs. Georgia K. Benjamin of
Hyattsville. presided over the
meeting, which the participants
described as a spontaneous af-
fair" 1t was agreed to form a
continuing committee to following
the gambling situation, and WAL
ter F. Mulligan. president of the
county Civic Federation, was
chosen chairman.
The letter requesting the grand
jury investigation was composed
by William R. Turner, executive
secretary of the Citizens Commit
tee for Good Government. and was
signed by 80 persons who attended
the meeting.
Volume of Mail Is Heavy.
Meanwhile, the county's repre-
isentatives in the General Assem-
bly, continued to receive post
cards, letters and kilograms ad-
Ivocating pay-of slot machines.
Henry Abrams, postmaster for the
General Assembly, said it was the
heaviest batch of mail he had
seen for one delegation.
Statements condemning the de-
vices were issued, however, by two
Prince Georges delegates, j. Frank
Lillard, jr., and Harry E. Taylor,
/ jr., both Republicans. Senator
Fletcher, also Republican, reiter-
lated his opposition to the pro-
Iposal.
Three main arguments for slot
machines are advanced in the
avalanche of mail. One is the
estimated 100000 a year revenue
they would be expected to pro-
Iduce. Another is the claim that
taxes can be lowered or new
Ilevies avoided, and the third refers
to the slot machine income as "a
painless solution for school prob
lens. including higher pay for
teachers"