Las Vegas City Commission Minutes, November 20, 1957 to December 2, 1959, lvc000011-242

Ralph G. Smith: I have been in Las Vegas for eleven years. The women I see here were here when I arrived. I know a lot of dealers from the Middle West, South and East and they came here since all of these girls as far as I can see. What the argument is I presume is wages. I don't think that is actually the issue. A lot of people in this town, I heard the girls say, drew less wages than the girls did and I thirty the issue is to keep the wage scale up and you can't keep the wage scale up by giving men less pay than'the women. The women, therefore, are not lowering the wage scale. Mayor Pro Tem Whipple asked if there was a spokesman for the men dealers who cared to speak at this time. Eddie Draper: I have been in the gambling business for 25 years. No one is opposed to women dealing until it is a threat to the whole town and economy of Las Vegas — then something has to be done about it. We do not want Las Vegas to become another Reno. Anyone familiar with the economic situation in Reno prior to women dealers over men will tell you that the economic condition was very high but there has been a downward trend since women dealers. Prior to the winter of 1947 Crap dealers in Reno were getting $25.00 per day and "21" dealers were getting $20.00 per day. Reno was the "biggest little city in America" but today it is hardly even mentioned. One gambling establishment in Reno decided to put women to work. They started them at $8.00 per day and worked them up to $15.00 per day and then threw them out in the street. This made a very unhealthy economic situation. They say they will not do it here — wait until they get into predominate numbers. Men are the basis for sound economy. A man when he gets married should support his wife and the children that he has. Las Vegas is the highest church town per capita in the United States. We favor men over women because men are the head of the family. Would the men present who were driven out of Reno and Tahoe by women Dealers please stand. (At this point a large number of men stood.) When you get back to the aspect of the gambling business, we have operated it on a high plane in Las Vegas. A lot of players come down here instead of going to Reno because of jealousy caused when the husband gambles where there is a woman dealer. One banker in Reno estimated $50,000,000.00 in gambling business has come down to Las Vegas since the advent of women dealers there. Gambling in this State has never been on a referendum for the people to decide. It is a "privileged business." The health and welfare of the people is involved and the police take these matters under surveillance. Mr. Beatty of the Southern Nevada Credit Bureau has contacted business people who do not want to see women dealers in Las Vegas. I have before me a report from the Southern Nevada Chamber of Commerce Research and Statistical Bureau which states that Las Vegas Business is at a new high. According to up to date analysis report it shows the general economic trend has continued to surge ahead. You cannot read this about Reno. If we get women dealers it is going to take a downward trend. Nevada is the fastest growing State in the Nation and most of the increase is in Clark County. We have kept the economic plane on a very high level but if we do like Reno did it is going to be in sad shape. Jo Galster: How do you figure a minority of women dealers is going to ruin the economy? Eddie Draper: Mr. Van Santen said he would absorb all of the women in his organization. Jo Galster: I am speaking on behalf of one girl in particular who has three children and has been here in Las Vegas for 15 years. Worked at the Monte Carlo. Eddie Draper: Would you as an individual or a minority group want to destroy the economy of this community? Jo Galster: I do not believe a few women dealers would destroy the economy of Las Vegas or Clark County. Eddie Draper: What would happen if maybe 1500 of these men dealers would be replaced by women? Jo Galster: Why isn't there a law preventing new women dealers from being hired? Eddie Draper: That would leave a loophole for other establishments to demand to be able to hire women dealers also. Connie Delaney: When I spoke earlier I was against the influx of women dealers. We do not want this either. I got laid off yesterday and was replaced by a man. Eddie Draper: Where were you working six weeks ago? Connie Delaney: I came down from Lake Tahoe when Mr. Van Santen called for me. Eddie Draper: We have no beef as a minority group; however, we know that once these club owners put women dealers in here in a majority that it will pull the economy down. Rita Hansen: I went to Reno in 1942 as a dealer. I was in Las Vegas in 1945 and there were more women dealers then than there are now. I don't work unless I have to. I have two children of my own. A survey of the men dealers in this town right now would show that not more than 30 percent have been here over five or ten years. The women dealing have been here ten to fifteen years. Billy Johnson: I think the girls who have been working here for a long time should be able to work -- at least those who have been here five years or more. Most of these women are homeowners and have children in school here. Elmer Button: I have been here as long as any of these women. If men do come in here from other states they are supporting families. Commissioner Fountain: The Commission has information that Mr. Van Santen was supposedly threatened over this episode and we would like to hear from Chief Sheffer in regard to this. Chief Sheffer: I had heard the same stories that Mr. Van Santen had been threatened relative to employment of female dealers. I contacted him yesterday afternoon and he assured me he had not been threatened. Also a License Division Sergeant has investigated the matter with the same findings. Ed Forsine: I have lived in the State of Nevada over twenty-five years; 17 years of which I spent in Reno and I just came down here as the girls drove me out. Why should they hire me for 11-5-58