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AUGUST BELMONT OFF FOR EUROPE. Chairman of Jockey Club Talks Earnestly About Racing and Betting Before His Departure. New York. July 7. August Belmont, accompanied by two of his sons. Raymond and Morgan, sailed for Europe on the Lucania today, to be gone six weeks. August Belmont. Jr., saw them off. In an interview prior to sailing, he said: "In my opinion racing is now more iwpnlar than ever. Even without betting racing will always lie popular both in this country and Europe. Admiration for courage and stamina ana the gambling spirit are -the potent Influences." "When yon touch upon gambling in its relation to racing you reach" the lowest stratum in the sport." his interviewer suggested. "Do you bet?" asked .Mr. Belmont, turning abruptly on his questioner. "Yes, when I have the chance," admitted the latter. "There you. are. So does everybody. If people want to bet, let them bet. I believe in being reasonable and not hypocritical. The fact Js. racing was created by the betting spirit and not the betting spirit by the racing. If people are not aide to bet on the races they will quickly enough find something else to. bet on. It is racing that makes the breeding of the thoroughbred possible and the racing of thoroughbreds Is a splendid occupation," continued the chairman of the Jockey Club. .Mr. Belmont went on to sav that he thought the racing game ought to succeed. He was sure that the public was taking more and more Interest in racing despite the Hart-Agnew law. In his opinion the breeding of thoroughbreds is vastly important in its special field. "It is not illegal to bet on a horse race." said Mr. Belmont, "and there Is betting at the races today. There is no reason why people should not bet if they have the money and the inclination. To prevent a man from betting is to restrain the freedom that Is granted him under the constitution. And. of course, some sort of betting is necessary to sustain the interest in racing. If racing should be killed in America it would mean the loss of millions of dollars to the country."
