Evening star., 1962-09-19

A member Of the county's
Board of Education, Mrs. John
H. Norris summed up the prob
lem bluntly::
This is a very serious prob
lem. Playing the slot machines
is damaging morally to chill
dren. In most cases, their fam
lies cannot afford this luxury"
Mrs. Norris said politicians
were to blame because the
slot machine interests help fl
nance their campaigns.
Parents objected loudly some
months ago when six slot ma
chimes were placed in a shop
ping center next door to the
Brooklyn Park High School in
Anne Arundel. They claimed
their children were patronizing
the machines during lunch
time breaks at school.
The Beard of County Com
missioners subsequently adopt
ed an ordinance making it un-
lawful to install m a C hines
within 1000 feet of school or
church, and raised the age limit
from 18to-19.
An interfaith ministerial or.
ganization has been organized
in recent months to combat
slot machines. It has filed in
Anne Arundel County Circuit
Court a suit seeking to have the
slot machine laws in the four
counties declared unconstitu-
tional.
The, group took this step
after failing to get legislators
from Southern Maryland to
agree to hold a referendum on
the question.
Cites Peril Of Families
The Rev. Andrew L. Gum,
who moved out of slot ma
chine territory last year after
serving six years as pastor of
a Methodist church in Charles
County. said he has seen gam
bling cause family problems.
II, went into homes which
had no food because either the
husband or wife had lost their
money on the Slots" Mr.. Gum
said.
''I saw poor people put gro
ceries back on the shelf in or
der to play the slots a few more
times before leaving the store.
II have been called in to help
marriages on the verge of
breaking up because the hus-
band had become a gambling
addict. I have seen young peo-
pie play the slots and get the
gambling fever
The Roman Catholic deans Of
three of the counties - st.
Marys, Charles and Calvert
issued q statement condemn
ing slot machine abuses by
parents.
a.. Families have been seri-
ously injured through the un-
controlled gambling of parents, u
said the Revs. James T. VIII
kinson. 3d.. and Harry A. Echle.
"This abuse has also inter-
ferred with the proper educa-
ton and moral tone Of the fam
ily."
Mr.. Gum and several other
members Of the interfaith group
actively supported David Hume
for Governor in the Demo-
cratic primary election last May
because one Of his campaign
issues was the evils of legalized
gambling.
Mr.. Hume, son-in-law Of in
dustrialist Cyrus Eaton, was
making his first bid for public
office and was expected to run
far back in the voting. He re-
ceived no support from politi-
cal machines, but polled 120.-
600 votes and missed gaining
second place in the field Of
three major candidates by only
a small margin.
Mr.. Hume resigned as treas
urer of the Maryland Demo-
cratic Party in 1860 after a rift
over the slot machine question
with Gov. Tawes, who won re-
nomination in the primary last
May.
Afterward, Mr.. Hume openly
accused the party leaders of ac-
cepting campaign contributions
from slot machine interests.
Slot machines are the most
powefful single influence in
Maryland politics today" he
said ydisgustedly after his resig-
nation. a..
More recently. however, Mr..
Hume and the Governor have
indicated they've reached agree
ment on ultimately banning
slots.
Mr.. Hume announced last
week that he would support Mr..
Tawes in the general election.
About 80 distributors control
the $500 licensed slot machines
in Southern Maryland. Opera
tors of the establishments
where machines are installed
and distributors rake in the
profits, while the player occa-
sionally collects a modest re-
ward.
Tons of silver money-nick-
els, dimes, quarters, hah-dol-
lars and silver dollars-are re-
moved from the devices each
year by the distributors, who
divide it either $3.50 or 60-40
with proprietors.
Unlike Nevada, regulation of
the slot industry in Southern
Maryland is weak and varies
widely. and there is no State
control.
The counties have no way of
determining exactly how much
money the public drops into
the slots because the distribu-
tors are not. required to in
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