[PDF]The Easy Money Boys

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| - RICHARD S. M. EMRICH
| Bishop of Michigan


THE LIBRARY
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
CATHEDPAL SHEICHTSs
NEW YORK 25, N. Y.


<3 NE of the pressing problems facing
KV our society today is that of gambling,
29) } and as a people we need to consider
© carefully its moral implications. Be-
cause of its rapid growth many of our
leaders in Church, State, and Business consider it a
serious menace.


They know that gambling interests have reached
their fingers into high government circles. They
know that the gambling fever can
undermine a man’s character, destroy
his home, and corrupt a community.
Because it is a constant and growing problem in
our daily lives, I am writing this brief paper. I
hope that you will read it carefully, discuss it, and
gather some strong convictions which you will pass
on to other people.


A Serious
Menace


I


Let’s begin on the obvious level of community
welfare by stating that the great gambling interests
are a parasitical group living off the labor of others
and contributing nothing to the community. The
gamblers, because of the anti-social nature of gam-
bling, stand, and always will stand, either in, or on
the edges of, the underworld. We can expect to see
again and again their attempted corruption of
athletics and politics.


The gambling interests corrupt youth, breed
crime, and deteriorate the characters of all who
come under their influence. When the bookies, the

. numbers racket, or the slot
What Gambling machines make their appear-
Does ance in a community, you
know that there is trouble ahead. By their very
nature the gambling interests are parasitical and
anti-social, and a menace to the ordered life we love.

The first reason, then, why much gambling is
wrong for everyone is because money paid for a bet
often goes to support this corrupting and worthless
side of society. It is, therefore, poor reasoning to say
that because you can afford a few dollars there is
nothing wrong for you in betting.

Is there nothing wrong in contributing to the
support of a parasitic group that stands in, or on
the edges of, the underworld? Is this responsible
citizenship? Should not every man be the wise
steward of his money?


II


Secondly, consider the tremendous meaning of
our daily work. It is hard work that has built and
will continue to build America. It is through our
daily work that we serve our fellowmen as laborer,
teacher, business man, clergyman, housewife, or
doctor; and it is by hard work that virtues are
developed. We can go so far as to say that there is


no place in society for an idle class, and we can
repeat St. Paul’s stern words, “If a man will not
work, neither let him eat.”

It would be a deadly blow to America if our
people began to look toward “easy money” rather
than toward work, or if they began to rely on
chance rather than industry and thrift.

This is the central reason why the “ easy-money
boys” of the gambling world are vicious and evil.
They look upon honest work with contempt, and
gather around them young men who will never do
a decent and honest day’s work as long as they live.
»> It is a sad commentary on


ee
Mone a American life that in horse
‘ yor eda racing, dog racing, the num-


bers racket, slot machines,
punch boards, bingo, beano, and innumerable give-
away programs, the American people are gathering
the idea of getting something for nothing. Re-
member that making your way by hard work and
thrift is a rational basis for life, and “ easy money ”
that comes without effort is irrational. Remember
that the corruption of a nation begins in its think-
ing, and that you contribute to a force which under-
mines honest work and thrift when you support in
any way the gambling idea. Carried far enough,
the thought of “easy money” can destroy a nation.
There are three rational ways in which property
can be exchanged — by labor, by exchange, and by
gift. Gambling, based upon luck and chance, is
none of these.


Ill


When, therefore, charitable and religious groups
use bingo or “ chances ” on cars, etc., to bring money
to their treasuries, it is a cheap thing which fits in
with a corrupting tendency in American life. When
a Church runs bingo parties, it falls below the best
moral thought of even the non-Church community.
If the University of Michigan, Wayne, Yale, and
Harvard are above beano and bingo, are too dig-
nified to employ such methods, it is shameful when
the Christian Church is not.


I find it impossible even in my weakest moments,
when the financial needs of the Church are most
pressing, to imagine St. John, St. Paul, or St. Peter
running a bingo party or our Lord
sending out His disciples to sell
chances. And I shudder at the thought that some
young person might say, “It’s all right to gamble.
We do it at Church.” How shameful a thing it is,
further, when gambling interests are able to argue,
“What we do is done by the Churches, and, there-
fore, there should be no objection to it.”


A Warning


Charitable and religious institutions should be
supported in one way only — by the free-will offer-
ings, gifts, and work of the people. If we have
financial difficulties, there is no sense in running to
fake remedies which might erect buildings but
would destroy our right to moral leadership. There
is only one legitimate answer to the financial prob-


lem, and that is to follow the Lord and teach our
people to practice Christian stewardship.

There are, of course, instances where it is diffi-
cult to determine whether a practice is gambling or
not. You can determine this for yourself by decid-
ing whether you are furthering the idea of getting
something for nothing.

The end does not justify the means, because the
means used can destroy the end for which we are
working.


oy


“Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given
us all that we possess; Grant us grace that we may
honour thee with our substance, and remembering
the account which we must one day give, may be
faithful stewards of thy bounty; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.”


Additional copies may be obtained from the
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICE
1 Joy Street
Boston 8, Massachusetts