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Coin Slot

Issue: 1981 June 076

Coin Slot Magazine - #076 - 1981 - June [International Arcade Museum]
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CUTION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
SECTION
IF THE DEFENDANT
SHOWS THAT THE SLOT MACHINE IS AN
ANTIQUE SLOT MACHINE AND WAS NOT
OPERATED FOR GAMBLING PURPOSES
WHILE IN THE DEFENDANT'S POSSES
SION. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PAR-
THIS
A SUBTLE ASSAULT ON CAPITAL HILL
OR
HOW TO GET THE BILL PASSED IN MY STATE
Recently I assumed the job of getting a law passed in
the State of Maryland to legalize collecting antique
slot machines, not used for gambling purposes. The
GRAPH, A SLOT MACHINE IS AN ANTIQUE
SLOT
process was quite an education for me. It is the
purpose of this article to pass along what I learned so
that we can raise that "magic Number" of legal states
to 50. If you live in an "illegal" state, maybe this article
can pave the way for you to come out of the closet!
Contrary to popular belief the best approach is for
the war (and that is exactly what it is) to be fought by
only one or two "champions of the cause." Quaifica-
tions for the job are listed below in order of importance.
Find someone who fits the bill as closely as possible.
1.
The Gift of Gab - The champion must be a
smooth talker. NOT A B.S. artist, but a good
speaker; clean cut and some one who's very
MACHINE
IF
THE
DEFENDANT
SHOWS BY A PREPONDERANCE OF EVI
DENCE THAT IT WAS MANUFACTURED
OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO
SAID PROSECUTION.
2.
WHENEVERTHISDEFENSEISOFFERED,
NO SLOT MACHINE SHALL BE DESTROY
ED
OR
ALTERED
IN
ANY WAY
UNTIL
AFTER A FINAL COURT DETERMINATION
INCLUDING REVIEW UPON APPEAL, IF
ANY, THAT THE DEFENSE IS NOT APPLI
CABLE. IF THE DEFENSE IS APPLICABLE,
THE SLOT MACHINE SHALL BE RETURN
2.
A Hobbyist - The champion should not be an
operator or involved in a related business. He
should be a hobbyist/collector just trying to
ED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF
LAW PROVIDING FOR THE RETURN OF
PROPERTY.
While this is the actual change desired a "pre-1941"
wording is available as a fallback or compromise
make his hobby legal.
position.
3.
The champion should live near or in the state
captial and must have at least one WEEKDAY
per week available to lobby during session.
An aquaintance with the legislative process
and/or some congress people is very helpful.
Next you need sponsors. One will do; two to five is
better. Call every collector you know and find con
gressmen willing to sponsor. If the bill was killed in a
prior attempt, have it introduced into the same house
that killed it. That is, if the Senate Committee killed it,
you may as well have it introduced into the senate.
There is no use in fighting it through the house just to
have the same committee kill it again.
Once the bill has been introduced it will be assigned
likable.
4.
Once you have found your champion let them run the
show. He or she should have the names of collectors in
the state and should contact each one to find out if
anyone has any connections in the state house. Other
collectors should NOT contact any legislators without
the direction of the champion. Too many cooks in the
kitchen spoil the stew.
Next it is time for homework. The first question that
must be answered is "Where is the resistance?" Iso
late the problem so that efforts are concentrated
where they belong. In Maryland the bill had been
introduced before. It was killed by the Senate Judicial
Proceedings Committee. Knowing this allowed me to
concentrate my efforts. If your state has had a bill
introduced and defeated, go the library of the state
legislature and request the folio on the bill. This will
show you exactly what happened to the bill and who, in
particular was for and against the bill. If it was killed in
committee, go to the committee's office and ask for
any records they have. Copy everything! If there has
never been an attempt at legislation, find out from the
Speaker of the House or President of the Senate to
om
m.c
:
u
m
e
o begins.
committee level that the
mus
d fr war
-
e
e
d
d
a research
The next job l is
o to
ca the law. Go to the nearest
n and
ar the
.
w
o
w
public library
look
up
state law concerning slot
D
ww found under
/
/
:
machines. It
is
usually
"Slot Machines" or
p
htt Xerox the law itself, read it until you can
"Gambling".
which committee the bill will be referred. It is at the
quote it from memory. Type up a copy, word for word of
the existing law and add to it the following:
1.
IT SHALL BE A DEFENSE TO ANY PROSE
© The
International
Arcade Museum
June
1981
to a committee and a public hearing will be held. Work
begins on congressmen two weeks to one month
BEFORE the hearing. Call the secretary of your main
sponsor. Set up an appointment with the secretary.
She knows whose who and what to do. Get a list of all of
the members of the committee. Find out what time of
the day is best to catch them in their offices. Prepare
your presentation carefully. Have with you a copy of
the bill, a copy of "Slot Machines on Parade", a copy of
"An Illustrated Price Guide to the 100 Most Collectible
Slot Machines, Volume 2" which contains Dick Bueschel's
editorial on how to change the laws, several copies of
THE COIN SLOT and most important of all, several
copies of the latest "Legal States Map".
In lobbying the congress (don't let the word "lobby"
scare you) I used the "Country Bumpkin" approach. I
went into the offices of the senator in question and
asked the secretary if I could see the senator. Whatever
the response, I said "Gee, I really feel out of my
element here. I'm not a lobbyist or anything.l'm just a
constituent trying to get my hobby legal." While the
number one requirement for the champion was to have
a great Gift of Gab, this is NOT the time to use it. Be
charming. Often the secretary is the only person who
can get you in to see the senator. Keep telling her, and
the senator as well, how uncomfortable you feel; how
"Capitalize any addition or change to existing law.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
THE COIN SLOT—29
Coin Slot Magazine - #076 - 1981 - June [International Arcade Museum]
11IB11111111I1111I1111111111111111II1II1111I1IIIIIIIIIIII1III1IIIIIIIII1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
out of your element you are; how you need advice.
The secretary will usually tell you when to come back
and catch the senator for a few minutes. COME BACK
ON TIME. You will probably have to go back 4 or 5
times before you will get in. EXPECTTHIS AND DON'T
GET UPSET OR SHOW ANNOYANCE AT BEING PUT
OFF. Lines like "Gee, is there any othertimethatwould
be better?" work well. Try for an appointment and
promise not to take more than 7 minutes. If it takes
longer than that you are saying too much. Eventually
you will begin to see some congressmen. Remember
they are just people who got elected and hope to stay
that way. They are not awe inspiring; they are just like
you and me. Remember that and be casual, humorous,
and keep up the "country bumpkin", "out of my ele
ment" approach.
i!r
ROUND 1
You will probably find most have no objection to the
bill after you explain it. Objections will surface how
ever, and they will more than likely take one of two
forms. One, WILL THIS BILL PROMOTE, SUPPORT,
OR ENCOURAGE GAMBLING? And two, ARE THE
"BAD GUYS" GONNA MAKE A FORTUNE IF IT IS
PASSED?
DO NOT AVOID USING THE WORD GAMBLING. If
you don't handle the issue they will keep worrying
about it. Answer the first objection with the following:
"This bill has nothing whatsoever to do with gambling.
Passage would not change the gambling laws of this
state at all. If passed, the police can still arrest even a
collector of antique slots and the BURDEN OF PROOF
THAT THE MACHINE WAS NOT USED FOR GAM
BLING PURPOSES IS ON THE COLLECTOR. Look,
these are the machines we are talking about."
Pull out "Slot Machines on Parade". Have paperclips
on pictures of an old machine like the DEWEY. Flip to
the Derby, a 1911 Mills OPERATOR BELL, a BIRD OF
PARADISE, and a 1947 Watling ROL-A-TOP ("Checker
board"). Then flip to the back of the book to the 1979
Sircoma electronic and say, "This is what they are
using in Las Vegas and Atlantic City nowadays. Ma
chines like this are reliable, do automatic accounting
and are tamper-proof. These other antiques are frail.
We collectors don't even allow people to try our
antiques frequently as the failure rate is high and
broken parts are hard to replace. And after all, the
overwhelming percentage of machines are of nickel
denomination. In the 1920's and 30's a nickel was
money; a jackpot win of $7.50 would buy dinnerfortwo
at a nice restaurant, now it bearly pays for dinner at
McDonald's. Machines in use for gambling are usually
Dollar denominations. With the frail nature of these
.com
m
:
u
m
e
antiques and the inflation f that
has eroded
the value of
mus to use these
d ro to d impossible
-
e
the nickel, it would be
next
e
d
machines profitably
gambling.
nloa for
arca And even if this bill is
.
w
o
w
w
passed, D
it would w
:// still be just as illegal to use these
p
t
machines for
gambling as it is now.
t
h
This bill does not support, encourage or promote
gambling. It simply keeps collectors like myself from
living in fear that the police will arrest us and destroy
our antiques. If it is passed, I can come out of the
© The International Arcade Museum
30-THE COIN SLOT
closet, get insurance for my collection and sleep at
night."
The second objection that you will undoubtedly face
is much more subtle. The congressman may not even
mention it; yet it will cause him to vote against the bill.
The position is this. In the eyes of the legislators many
of the operators could have had the lead part in the
Godfather. Quite frankly, in some cases they are right!
We have all heard about that warehouse full of slot
machines just outside of town just waiting for them to
be legal again. (If you haven't heard such a rumor, rest
assured that at least one congressman has.) If this bill
is passed the market will open up and the value of
these thousands and thousands of machines will go
from $0 to $1500 apiece. The "Bad Guys" will make a
fortune. Thus passage is a bad idea.
While you and I know how ridiculous that is; the
congressmen dbn't. Whip out your copy of THE COIN
SLOT with a copy of the most recent "Legal States
Map" and show the legislator that it is legal for these
bad guys to sell their machines in most of the United
States. Whip out your "Slot Machines on Parade" and
turn to page 177. Read aloud the quote from the
Johnson Act. Then run this line by him: "So, you see it
is legal for them to sell those machines located in our
state so long as they are sold into any one of the legal
states. Ergo, this legislation doesn't make the "Bad
Guys" rich; unfortunately, they have sold AND ARE
LEGALLY SELLING their machines in other states.
And so they make the money with or without this
legislation."
Getting to know the congressman and delivering the
material above should only take about 5 to 7 minutes. If
there is a time problem on the congressman's part,
don't press. If there are still objections, don't argue.
This meeting is only ROUND #1.
Go to every member of the committee. This process
may take 3 or 4 days spread out over 3-4 weeks. Use
the necessary amount of time while appearing to be
unhurried.This is the way the state legislatures work If
the committee, to which the bill is assigned, passes the
bill, the entire house or senate will probably do the
same. Particularly with a bill of relatively low conse
quence such as this one. If the committee does not
pass the bill or reports unfavorably, you are in a heap of
trouble.
it it ft ROUND 2 tiitti
By now the bill will be ready for its hearing. Contact
every Historical Society in the state. Have them send
your champion a letter ADDRESSED TO THE MEM
BERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. Also have the
sponsor of the bill prepared to testify. Now the cham
pion gets to miraculously become a skilled orator. Not
bad for a "country bumpkin"! Give every member of the
committee a packet. It should contain copies of the
letters from the Historical Societies, a copy of your
testimony and the Fl RST PAGE should be a copy of the
"Legal States Map". As to what to say, what follows is
my testimony before the Maryland Senate Judicial
Proceedings Committee. And by the way, be at ease,
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
June 1981

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