f "" "" V? Tjjjrl
PV
The Commoner
iAY, 1021
1J 4V
ttimW
'i TUP
. .;
- jtJ'
-V
$
i
,!'
,
$
ft
H'
'h
i VWb-j
y t :
M
'?
, ".V3
! 'P
3BK
i.'Hf
-h
'.Tfj
)
rime of Gambling
(Dr. Clarence True Wilson.)
1 human activities may be distributed un
four categories: Business, charity, pleas-
crime. Business is the exchange of com-
ty or servico for profit. Charity is the same
modity or service without profit. Pleasure
EEe expenditure of energy or wealth for mere
fication without regardto permanent bene-
proflt. Crime is the getting of profits
ut the rendering of adequate services or
odity. To which class does gambling be-
i wnen a man exponas nis money in a
ess transaction, he has either received a
odity or a service; and, it is this element
utual benefit that makes a transaction
ess. .but. wnen one gets into a gamDiing
lishment, he will do one of two things;
Something for nothing, or nothing for some-
f . If he gets something for nothing, he is-
ef; if nothing for something, he Is a fool;
e had not been engaged in a business
:tion.
thoroughly is it recognized that business
ducted for the mutual benefit of all par-
concerned that, there is no such thing
n to the law as a one-sided contract or
ment. One cannot make a valid note with-
utting on it, "For value received, I prom-
6 pay," which mears that there can be
MwSgfno obligation to give something for noth-
The same is true of contracts. It is a
amenta! proposition that no contract will
that is one-sided. If it can be shown that
as signed a contract where the advantages
Ell one side, and nothing is to be gained
e other, the losing party can have it set
in any state by any court on the ground
.contract is invalid if it does not benefit
rtietf.
OPINION OF COURTS
!, in New York, a man who had lost every-
n a gambling deal, and to continue hjs
borrowed money, which ho later failed
; was sued for the recovery of this'money.
Urt. which in this case, was the New York
Recorder, recognized that the money had
borrowed in good faith and had not been
J, but set the case aside on the ground
ambling was not a business, but a crime,
!hat if courts of law could be used by
ers in collecting their gambling bills, courts
be aiding criminals in perpetrating .
ather than engaged in suppressing crime,
lied that no contract or agreement, oral
tten, made in connection with a gambling
etion could be recognized by the courts.
sibling is not only not a business or a
Yy, or a mere pastime, but it undermines
ss integrity and charitable instincts and
ilities, and deprives so many of real
re, that its existence is against the public
re; and, therefore, any game ,of chance
for money, or any taking of chance in
ture of a bet, has been ruled to be gamb-
and civilization has undertaken to sup
this species of crime in every form front
tting on elections and horse races to the
g a nickel-in-the-slot machine. The whole
and mania is against private honor,
hal integrity and public wealth, and the
Ms of forty-eight states have been unani-
i their decisions on the above principles
a perfect harmony without a discordant
one interested in the welfare of America
look with indifference upon the spreading
pf gambling, , Millions of dollars are ex-
ling hands in this irregular fashion, mil-
of souls are being warped, their business
ity disintegrated and a mania becomes a
;y to get something for nothing.
GENERATION OF GAMBLING
re are confronted with a generation that has
'cursed by these things. A generation ago.
remember the craze that the women had
tng for prized, progressive euchre was the
You will recall .that women who were car
infants allowed themselves to be abnor-
Vy worked up in., this insane effort to win
tithey did not earn; and they have marked '
neration of thieves that populate the pri-
fand asylums of the country.
rison reformers tell us that vast numbers
thieves were marked before i their birth by
)lfng fathers or gambling mothers or both.
its writer well remembers having his house
jlarized five times in a western city in less
four years. Ho finally, got tired of that
ig and captured the thief, became interested
in him and traced his antecedents. His, father
wasone of the best educated and skillful
physicians, having tho largest income of any
physician in his state, but was addicted to tho
gambling habit. His mother was caught In
the rage of progressive euchre and used to spend
five or six afternoons a week before his birth
in trying to win over lady rivals a big prize of
easy money. This man had spent his lifetime
alternately in penitentiaries of various states,
serving sentences and out robbing by night
and dodging officers by day, and could not re
member when he was not a thief.
OFFICIAL STATEMENTS
Mr. William Mather Lewis, director of the
savings department of tho treasury, is reported
in the Washington Herald as saying that bil
lions of dollars changed hands last year in gamb
ling. Treasury officials are deeply concernod ovor
the situation according to the Herald, which
quotes Mr. Lewis as saying, "Gambling at cards
and betting on races has reached a frenzy
never before equalled in the United States."
More-4than 40,000,000 packs of playing cards
were sold last year.
Official figures issued by the Maryland State
Racing commission show that $38,705,772 was
bet on the machines at the four larger Maryland
race tracl during the season of 1920. And
Maryland is not one of our richest or most
thickly populated states.
After the loosening of moral ties that always
follows a war, our churches must tone up the
mental distinctions and moral ideals bearing
on business integrity vs. gambling, the Ameri
can habit of Sabbath observance vs. Continental
Sunday Ideals of pleasure seeking, the Puritan
ideals of home life with a clean life for two vs.
the French standard of morals, the old-fashioned
principles of total abstinence for personal pro
tection, individual safety, for tho' sake of the
example and in behalf of posterity vs. the Ger
man Ideal of beer drinking .and the ""anarchist's
ideal of law breaking. "
VMM
!&S&
' isHX
. 'mm.
t-jtm
wmm
. HKr
triSix
vtruuflBi
3a inn
The governor of Nebraska refused to veto a
bill introduced at the behest of big business
in that state intended to prevent men out on a
strike trom asking those who had taken -their
places to desist or from conversing with them
peaceably on the ground that he did not desire
to put up his judgment against that of he leg
islature, although It was urged by labor union
men that this was an abridgment of free speech.
Exactly three days later the governor of Ne
braska vetoed a bill asked for by the educators
and mothers of the state and opposed by the
big business interests which provided for state
censorship of the moving pictures shown in tho
state. The governor said he was loth to put his
judgment against that of the legislature, but
that he considered this an abridgment of
the right of free speech as guaranteed by the
constitution, . notwithstanding that five years
ago the United States supreme court held that
it was not. When big business desires to act
it has Utile regard for consistency.
The high regard shown for the wishes of the
women of Nebraska was demonstrated when the
'figures were cast up affile close of the legisla
tive session. The Federation of Woman's clubs,
the W. C. T. U., tho Legislative Council and the
League of Women Voters asked for the enact
ment of fifty-three bills drawn up by a com
mission created by the previous legislature, all
for the protection of the children of the state
from evil conditions i:i society. Thirty-three
of these, including a movie picture censorship
bill, were beaten, and nearly all of tho others
amended to suit tho legislature. The women
will do well to begin selecting legislative candi
dates for the next session.
Pity tho members of the Nebraska legislature.
While they weren't watching things, tho state
adopted a new constitution which makes the
members of the legislature ineligible to. fill any
other civil office during the term for which they
were elected. What does it profit a man to be a
legislatorand help create new fat offices and
then not bo permitted to enjoy the salaries
thereof?
A large number of indictments have been re
turned in Chicago against what is called tho
building trust. Whatever joyful emotions may
have been caused by the announcement aro
rather chilled when it is noted that the labor
unions connected with the building trade ap-(
pears to form the larger proportion of the al-'
'leged culprits,
i - -
To Florida Solons
(Abstract of Mr. Bryan's speech before tho
Florida legislature)
Mr. Bryan complimented Governor Hardee's
messago, saying that it was clear, comprehensive
and sound on every point. Ho commontod upon
and' ondorsed sovoral recommendations mado by
the governor. Ho favored prison reform and
suggestod that tho stato should provido a placo
where discharged prisoners can work voluntarily
until they reestablish their reputation.
.Ho endorsed tho idea of establishing an ex
perimental station in the everglades and sug
gested that they might with profit bo established
in other parts of the stato, also to show how cat
tle, hogs and chickens can bo raised to advan
tage, and what kind of vegetables and fruits can
bo produced at a profit. He advocated tho sup
port of county fairs by taxation as educational
insl.tutions with p"rizes furnished by business
men as -advertisements. Ho suggested state
stock yards and slaughter houses and state
sales agents io open markets in tho principal
cities. He endorsed the governor's recommenda
tion as to the cave of the timber and reforesta
tion. He also emphasized the Importance, of the
health department. As a means o preventing
diseases that follow in tho wake of Immorals,
Ho advocated junior colleges with normal
courses at several points in tho stato and em
phasized the importance of teaching. Spanish at
Miami and Tampa.
Ho urged law enforcement, emphasizing the
prohibition law, and suggested that no one who
himself drinks is likely to effectively enforce
prohibition; his appetite would overcome his
oath of office. Ho urged tho stato to protest
against the use of neighboring foreign territory
as a base for conspiracies against the prohibition
laws.
He favored tho postal ballot for the benefit
especially of the sick, commercial traveler? -and
college students. He proposed the collection cf
rural ballots by carriers aaylng that we de
liver postal cards and ought to be willing to col
lect votes, v.
. He advocated a state trade commission to
protect the people against profiteering and a
state board of conciliation to prevent strikes and
lockouts.
He urged the establishment of a system for
the protection of bank depositors and tho adop
tion of tho initiative and the" referendum.
BRYAN ELECTED LOCAL OPTIMIST
Optimist William Jennings Bryan was voted
in as an honorary member of the Optimist club
of Springfield at their meeting at the St. Nich
olas hotel, where he addressed the local club
members last night.
Mr. Bryan attended tho Optimists meeting
as the guest of Dr. Eugene M. Antrim. 'Mr.
Bryan's presence at the meeting came as a sur
prise to most cf the members, as his naiua did
not appear upon the program for the evening.
Ah he walked into the meeting with Rev. Dr.
Antrim, while the banquet was in full progress,
he wore the characterise broad smile upon Mils
face. When tii motion was made by a member
of the club co make Mr. Bryun an honorary
member of the organization, it was carried by a
unanimous vote of the members, af er which Mr.
Bnan arose and in a very solemn tone of voice
said "that is the most unanimous election that
I ever had," which brought forth a storm of ap
plause. Springfield, 111., Register, May 3.
BHLITARISTS NEED RESTRAINING
The American militarists who would havo
saddled an army of 560,000 men on the people
of tho United States, along with a world's great
est navy, also a billion-dollar-a year system of
compulsory military training, point their fingers
at France and say , "See! France keeps a big
array!"
Answering this, Capper's Weekly says:
"France would be a fool if it didn't. But It
merely keeps it as lif j insurance. No power
fears France as an aggressor, not even the Hun.
France might have twice as big an army and'
be no menace to the United States.'
"It is a strange but true statement,"" Capper's
Weekly concludes, "that in all the world, no
where else has militarism 'run wild' since the
war as in the most peaceful of all countries, tho
United States. And this is the ono country on
whom the duty of leading the movement for
world disarmament falls." Miami Metropolis.
T
-
L.
