National Affairs: Finished Strong

During its investigation of income-tax collectors, the King committee looked with heavy-breathing suspicion on the affairs of a New York Internal Revenue agent named William H. Dettmer Jr. If he hadn't taken bribes, he was asked, how had he managed, year after year, to make from $1,300 to $1,800 more than his Government salary? Dettmer gave the stock answer: he had a system for playing the races. Dettmer was immediately suspended. But last week he was back at work again. The bureau reported, in tones of some admiration, that Dettmer actually did have a slightly unusual system: betting third-money choices at harness tracks to win and place. Rigid investigation disclosed that he had won every nickel of the extra money fair & square in legal parimutuel bets, had duly reported his winnings on his own tax return.