Absolute Atholl

"I appeal to a million sportsmen and sportswomen to send ten shillings [about $2.25] each to dispose of absolutely at my own personal discretion." Such last week was the amazing proposition of the Duke of Atholl, a proposition which he promised to keep open until Sept. 30. For months His Grace has been trying to start a British Sweepstake for charity which would evade the United Kingdom's strict law against lotteries. Originally ten-shilling tickets were to have been sold to anyone who cared to take a purely nominal "test of skill" by arranging "in order of artistic merit" the racing colors of King George and three other prominent turfmen.* After 9,000,000 tickets had been printed and many sold, Scotland Yard suddenly intervened. Stern Home Secretary Sir John Gilmour held the scheme to be a lottery. His Grace the Duke of Atholl had to think fast.

Only a Duke, a holder of Britain's No. 1 war decoration, the D. S. O., and a sportsman of national renown could have mustered the prestige necessary to carry on. Stamping machines were ordered. The millions of unsold tickets were over printed thus: "Cancelled -- But the Duke of Atholl in vites the public to buy this specimen ticket for 10s. Solely as a memento of a commendable effort to assist British charities and upon the basis that the proceeds of sale shall be disposed of in such manner as the Duke of Atholl shall, in his absolute and uncontrolled discretion, think fit." Ticket buyers, confident last week that they could trust His Grace to do the sweepstakely thing, chuckled at the un successful efforts of London journalists to pin him down. "His Grace's mind is absolutely blank about the details and will be until Sept. 30," reporters were told. Looming behind the Duke of Atholl a phalanx of patronesses, mostly culled from the peerage, seemed to assure that a proper share of all money received will go to leading United Kingdom charities, chiefly hospitals it was understood. Last year the perfectly legal Irish Free State Hospitals sweepstakes netted -L-2,000,000 for charity.

*Jockeys riding for His Majesty wear a purple jacket with scarlet sleeves, a black velvet cap fringed with gold.

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