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WHITNEY MAKES STATEMENT New York Racing Commissioner Airi AiriViews Views on PariMutuel Method of Wagering NEW YORK N Y May 18 Statement made by John Hay Whitney member of the New York State Racing Commission at the open hearing before Governor Lehman on the dog racing bill in Albany Monday May 17 1937 follows followsI I believe that with the parimutuel or electric totalizator system of betting working under a bill which specified exactly the percentage limits on the total take and which required that all admissions be paid the racing commission could protect the public reasonably well Under the present bill it would be impossible to assure a fair break Dog racing cannot be commercially successful with the oral system of betting and could not be controlled under the cer ¬ tificate system unless this form is legalized by the state constitution When comparisons are drawn with horse racing let me say that if the racing of dogs were to be confined to the hours between sunrise and sunset as is the case with horse racing the ancient sport would have nothing to fear and much of the opposition would disappear as would its attractiveness to its sponsor sponsorAs As for the argument that the state would benefit financially the present bill guarantees no revenue at all
