Evening star., 1951-08-20
FEC Urges Flat Ban
On Transmission Of
All Gambling Data
By The Associated Press

he EeQeral communications
Commission urged Congress yes
terday to enact a flat ban on
interstate transmission of infor-
nation usable in gambling, with
criminal penalties for violators.
At the same time the FEC re-
newed its objections to a pending
proposal for a system of licenses
to transmit such material. That
measure includes exemptions for
general circulation newspapers
and for regular broadcasters.
In a letter to Chairman Edwin
c. johnson of the Senate Com
merce Committee, FEC Chairman
Wayne Coy said his agency still
backs the general approach made
in a bill which got committee
approval in 1850. That measure
included a prohibition against
transmission of bets or wagers
themselves, and the commission
wanted the ban extended to cover
betting odds and prices paid.
'Lifeblood Of Gambling"
Mr.. Coy said that information
constitutes the lifeblood of all
Che underscored ally types of in
terstate gambling activities"
He said sponsors of the licensing
proposals Intentionally stopped
short Of fiat prohibition for fear
OF infringing freedom of the press
and radio, but added:
Nothing has been brought to-
our attention which indicates that
the specific type of information
which would be banned under the
commissions proposal can be con-
sidered useful for any purpose
except gambling, whether the re-
cipient is bookie or whether it,
is intended for publication as news
of gambling activities which will
take place or have already taken
place"
Mr.. Coy took the position also
that the exception for newspa-
pers and broadcasters could nullify
the effect Of the whole measure.
Valuable to Bookies.
He said the FEC has found
that quick broadcasting of racing
results and betting prices, together
with odds on following races, al
ready is of great value to bookies
and would become more so if thel
regular racing wire services were
cut of.
Similarly" he said, "it is well
recognized that newspaper publi-
cation and radio broadcasting OF
probable odds and prices paid on
sporting events other than horse
or dog racing can provide gam
blers with most, if not all, of the
information they need to continue
to carry on widespread gambling
activities"
Mr.. Coy recalled the recent
basketball "fix" scandal as evil
dence that the problem is already
a major one. He said it could be
expected to grow proportionately
with the effectiveness OF curbs on
horse and dog gambling.
He pointed to the lack Of any
definition Of a newspaper Of
general circulation" and said
scratch sheets might be expanded
to include some information other
than racing dope, and thus
qualify for exemption.
Depends on FEC Ruling.
He suggested also that the
might be construed to
take away from the commission
authority to stop radio broad
casting of direct gambling infor-
nation by a station which holds a
regular license.
Under the pending measure
licenses to transmit information
about gambling would be granted
if the FEC determined tina it was
not intended primarily" for
gambling and if the applicants
were Of good moral character"
Mr.. Coy argued that without
spelled-out legal standards for
judgment on those points the ad-
task of selection of
licensees would be a next to i'm
possible one and there would oe
a tremendous burden of litigation
when the rejected license seekers
appealed to the courts.