14
AUTOMATIC AGE
October, 1939
personal liberties to warrant there is little question about the practically no organized support.
fighting to extend them. They future fate of slot machines.
It is extremely popular with the
must realize, if they have the
There is no wide-spread aver overwhelming majority of the
ability to think, that their chief sion to petty gambling ma public. Its continued existence
enemy is not the people or au chines; the great majority of violates no precedent, shatters
thorities of some distant nation, American people enjoy playing no ideals and confounds no pre
whom they are ordered to at them, and the great majority of vious rules of logic. As a ma
tack with deadly bombs, but locations endorse them on the chine, the slot machine has al
rather the man who has de basis of their popularity with most no enemies. As a form of
stroyed their personal liberties their public as well as from the pleasure for millions of people,
by rooting them from their jobs standpoint of trade stimulation. and as a substantial instrument
and their homes and their fam A small section of the public of business, its future can, and
ilies—the man who sends them will be found who do not care may be, brilliant and secure.
into the seething volcano of war, to play the machines, yet see
The need is purely for respect
perhaps never to return. Con nothing wrong in the fact that
able operating methods, for
demnation of the aggressor sure others do like to play them. A
means to give the public a con
ly is not limited to those who mere handful of reformers,
siderate and uniform run for its
must defend their nations, their those “guardians of the public
money , and for a means of regu
homes, their liberties against in welfare” who would dictate a
lation acceptable to both govern
vading killers; condemnation person’s every action if they
ment and the coin machine in
must also wrankle in the hearts could, are the only ones opposed
dustry.
and minds of the killers and to the machines. They haven’t
As a machine, the slot ma
their families for the man who done so well in suppressing gam
displaces reason with lust, and bling in its countless other chine is almost 100 per cent
personal liberties with servitude forms, so there is little reason to O. K.
and death.
suspect that they can do any bet
BUT AS A RACKET, “THE
SLOT M A C H I N E IS ( A L
Democracy is sure to triumph. ter against slot machines.
The slot machine requires MOST) THROUGH.”
It is a pseudonym as practiced
in some countries which profess
ale*?
it, and a far-off ideal in some
others, but because it is an
ideal, because it does afford an
expression, great or small, of the
wishes of the majority, democ
racy will continue to increase.
As Revealed by the Columns of
In no other way can the people
A u t o m a t ic A g e
of the world protect and extend
their personal liberties. It is im
possible to over estimate the
value of our own Constitution
N Sunday, October, 13th, 1929, came from Germany and consisted of
as an example to the people of /"\
^ the International Ticket Scale Co. a letter box in which letters were
the world, people who are trying inaugurated a national radio program stamped as you posted them. The
to throw off the yoke of oppres and introduced the International letter was pushed into an opening,
sion and seek the personal liber Scalers over the Columbia network. where it rested on scales, and if the
ties which citizens of the United The program, which was broadcast right amount of money was inserted
weekly, was designed to make more into a slot, the letter was automatic
States enjoy.
ally stamped and fell into a re
and more people weight-conscious.
* * *
ceptacle below.
What does all this have to do
* * *
Clarence C. Hatry, English finan
with the slot machine? Just this:
cial
mogul,
saw
the
stocks
of
eight
A
penny-in-the-slot
machine for
Nothing can stop the extension
of his companies collapse. British in newspapers was installed at the
of personal liberties in this vestors stood to lose over $25,000,000. Pottsdam (Germany) railway station.
country. If the majority of It was the small investors like coun The device consisted of a large metal
people consider it is their own try clergymen, shopkeepers and clerks box with three broad glass windows.
business to spend their money whose imagination were excited by The newspaper purchaser puts hi?
as they please, to enjoy them the wonderful possibilities of the penny in the slot corresponding to
photomaton machines who were the the paper he wanted.
selves as they please, and if slot real sufferers.
* * *
* * *
machines have the approval of
The Scotty bulk beverage dispenser
the majority of people — then
The latest device for postal facility made its appearance in A utomatic
10 Y e a r s A g o
© International Arcade M useum
http://w w w .arcade-m useum .com /