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0. 1 Br * 9 K * IKS sl lis lk«sandl Hit :Rl | I ■ 0. Off-Track Betting Favored by Swope Former Head of New York Race Commission Makes Plea That System Be Made Legal By BOB HORWOOD Staff Correspondent NEW YORK, N. Y., June 19.— Herbert Bayard Swope, former chairman of the New York State Racing Commission, appeared before the joint legislative committee to study horse racing in the Bar Association meeting hall in New York City today and made an eloquent extemporaneous plea for the legalization of off-track betting. Swope declared at the close of his remarks that "off-track betting is here, it is now — the only thing to do is take cognizance of that fact and tax it." Todays hearing was presided over by State Senator Henry Gittleson, of Brooklyn, in the absence of Sen. Arthur Wicks, of Kingston, the chairman. Senator WiGks will be on hand to preside over tomorrows session at which Ashley T. Cole, present chairman of the state racing commission, will present his case against legalized off-track betting. Cole was present today, with 1 Francis Dunne, steward at the New York tracks and commission secretary Harry Millar. The incumbent commission chairman made it clear before todays session ; that he diametically opposes his predecessors views. Other Committee Members Present The other Wicks committee members. Senators George Manning and Henry J Neddo, Assemblyman Elmer J. Kellam, W. J. Reid and J. Sidney Levine, and ex-of-ficio - member, Sen. Elmer F. Quinn, at-attended - todays hearing. John Egan, attorney " for the committee, questioned Swope, drawing forth his statement. In response to Egans questioning, Swope y said that he had served as chairman of the 3 state racing commission from 1934 to 1945, , during which time pari-mutuel wagering » was legalized in New York State. Swope " said that the pari-mutuels were opposed by the same "prophets of disaster" now opposing . legalized off-track betting, but remarked - that the machines had been voted ■ in by a 2 to 1 majority and had failed to produce any of the evils prophesied. Swope said that he had made a study of " the operation of legalized off -track betting in England, France, Germany, Italy and, ■ to some extent, in Russia, and had come e to the conclusion that it would not lead to 3 any great additional volume of betting, nor r would it attract any new bettors — only f those already betting. The former -editor of the New York 5 World, Pulitzer Prize winner, diplomat, » member of the Atomic Energy Commission, • assistant to the Secretary of War, and ■ present member of the State Park Commission, " the said, "No moral issue is involved. " Betting is not prescribed as a sin. It may be economically unwise in the case of some r individuals." He then referred to a recent report by the American Catholic Philosophers " Association, which went farther, he said, than he did in declaring that not * merely betting, but gambling is in no sense a sin. Only Organized Gambling Is Corrupt Swope added that the highest courts in . New York State had, for many years, held that there was nothing illegal in betting in " itself, but that only organized, improperly conducted gambling gives rise to graft and j corruption, which is not duplicated in any y other country. Swope then urged that the Wicks Committee " make an effort to find the answers to two questions which he said that he had d been unable to obtain. Though it would mean obtaining the services of a mathematical genius, Swope said it was imperative to learn just how much "fresh money" was actually bet, and how much actual off-track ." betting existed when the bookmakers flourished. No one, he said, has the answer j to these questions. If, as has been estimated, £ 15 billion dollars is invested in illegal bets " each year, this sum should be taxed. Speaking rather slowly, and digressing * occasionally, to tell an anecdote, Swope continually reverted to one main theme. V Illegal betting exists, is not immoral and those betting on that side of the fence , should be taxed in the same way as those ;e on the other side. Swope also urged that a committee be sent to Europe and England to study at t first hand the methods of legalized off-track f ~ betting there, and their effect on the people. Speaking rather slowly, and digressing « occasionally to tell an anecdote, Swope continually reverted to one main theme. Illegal al betting exists, is not immoral and those betting t- on side of the fence should be taxed in in the same way as those on the other side. Asked by Egan to outline specific recommendations for the operation of off-track f- betting, Swope said, "I am bitterly ly ; J HERBERT BAYARD SWOPE— Former chairman of the New York State Racing Commission yesterday urged legalization of off-track betting before the joint legislative committee to study horse racing. , , ; i ; . i • . » . : . I - - " y 3 , » " . - ■ " ■ e 3 r f 5 » • ■ " " r " * in . in " j y " d ." j £ " * V , ;e be at t f ~ on opposed to licensing bookmakers. That is making a special privilege business a special special privilege business. I think that off- track betting should be an extension of betting at the track, much as it is in France. I would set up kiosks, small betting rooms, which would do nothing else but accept and pay off bets. These bets would be telephoned to the track and the sums bet would appear on the odds board at the track." Swope said that he thought that fluc-J tuating odds could be indicated in these offices, or kiosks, though they would not be the final odds. He added that he felt that the tracks share of the revenue from these kiosks should be less than the 4 per cent they receive from wagers at the tracks. In France, he said these betting places close before the first race is run at the track, but Swope didnt feel that that would be necessary in this country. Committeeman Manning said that he felt that most bettors would also want to play races other than those in New York State, but this matter was not disclosed in much detail. Swope estimated that the present revenue of 35 million dollars received by the state of New York from betting at the tracks would be increased to between 90 and 100 million by legalized off -track betting, with-? out, he repeated, adding any new bettors. He added that he thought that attendance at the tracks would not be materially affected, saying, "A man goes to a race track because he wants to go there, for the excitement and the sport in the open air. The man who bets away from the track does so for some reason he cant go, or doesnt want to go." Remarking that the race tracks oppose » off-track betting, Swope said: "They are always afraid of racing getting , too big. They fear bigness, but controlled j bigness is a good thing." Asked if he thought it possible to com-. ! pletely suppress off-track betting, Swope said, "It can only be suppressed by using the atomic bomb to wipe out the popula-!,", tion." He then added, "You know, life in-_ surance is the biggest form of gambling, 72 billion dollars of it a year. And it was J [ j originally recognized in Scotland as a gamble. You bet your life. | "The greatest factor against legalized I off-track betting is political opposition. i I Certain politicians think that they can get i I right with God by opposing what they | I • ; think is sin. But betting is not sin. Mass ! betting is merely an extension of degree, not a new invention. However, hypocrisy is J a dearly loved American virtue." Off-track wagering, Swope remarked, is under consideration in California, Florida, Nevada and Illinois. "I think now is the time to consider it, when racing it at its | highest plateau."
