New-York tribune., 1905-11-28

According TO a generally credited report at
Columbia University yesterday. radical action
on The future of football at that institution may
be expected in few days. President Butler. ac-
cording 10 this report has called a meeting of
the university committee on student organiza-
tlons TO decide whether football shall not be
abolished at Columbia. unless there be a radical
change in the game as now played. President
Butler st is well known. has strongly advocated
reform In football and it is understood that he
has only waited until the END of the present sea
son to have Columbia take some positive action
in the matter But while President Butler has
been strong advocate of reform in football, it
is believed that It is only the. developments of
tie last few days the deplorable accident on
Ohio Field and the serious injury to Douglas
Carter in the Columbia Pennsylvania game,
with the eeath OF two players in the West, that
bas brought about the determination to consider
seriously the absolute abolition of football on
University Heights.
More than q month ago Columbia took the in
itiative in seeking q reform CT football by the
cooperation Of all the big universities The men
who have charge OF athletic affairs there felt,
as they said. that 3 team with an almost un-
broken record of defeat was hardly in the posi-
tion to 60 out and can loudly for change in the
rules bur they felt also that Columbia's record
Of defeat was due largely to her endeavor to
play clean football. and so they took the bull
by the horns and sent letters to the proper au-
thorities in the big universities to get at the
feeling on football. While it cannot be said
that the response in all cases was cordial, the
whole it was satisfactory. and it is felt at Co
lumbia that football is on the high road TO re-
form
As told exclusively in The Tribune yesterday
the first step in this reform it is proposed to
abolish the present rules committee and substi-
tute for it a responsible body named by the
governing bodies OF the great universities
Francis S Bangs chairman of the university
committee on athletics of Columbia, came out
fatfooted yesterday against the present rules
committee He said:
The game is played under rules formulated by q
committee called together several years ago by
the now defunCt University Athletic Club OF
NeT-York City It has been self-perpetuating
Irresponsible. impeTYious TO public opinion and
ttnlPARlT IN refusing 20 heed the unneceGG2TilV
dangerous character OF the game For fine play
and by this ! mean not only those acts and
practices which spectators plainly see, but the
scts and practices which the public does not see
ehd does not know but which the players know
sell-some Of the rules committee may be held
~iFtctiY responsible. because lney nave been IN
eiose daily touch with the team and the uniVersi
ueS during the training season and must have
Deen perfectly aware of what has been planned
teams "out of business in game. in making
sthleucs q business for members of their own
'eeIns, and IN all the undergraduate graft" in
atnietics that has sprung from the corrupting
thauence OF football money, have they uplifted
protesting voice?
would not entrust the reformation of the
same to the present rules committee. They have
gwen no evidence of sympathy with the demand
t tor reform. ! may be doing injustice to some OF
- - members, but the committee has made its
ueCfets known only as a committee. and the
news Of its individual members are not known
~ ~ me attitude hitherto maintained by the COM
lnittee, its real desire 10 reform the game may,
Perhaps, he doubted, even under compul5ion.
Mr- Bangs had this TO say in the course of a
statement he made for the forthcoming issue Of
The Columbia Spectator" IN addition. he said:
l cannot speak officially for the committee.
the university committee. OF which he is chair
man. but for myself / can say positively that
football under existing rules and prevailing
practices is abo1ninable and IL the further play
ING OF the game depended upon my word would
s'oP u, 1t should be a game calling Tor q hlgh
Sessee or skill, aleTtness. courage and HiAnh-
ness but il has come to be nothing moro than
me personal collision AZ high speed OF a mum
Def ot young men OF powerful physique Win the
'eNu!t that even In practice broken arms IsBs'
asses, heads and other physical and lasting IN
SssIes are OF almost common dalIg OCCUR SlCo- "
~ lhlS Is 10 be added the VICIOUS personal on
-ssoIlSnls often aroused, and frequently deilD-
efateiy provoked in the course or game be
.Srtn opposing college teams. All OF TINS If
-efehensible, but it can be curtailed, II coaches
Nie captains SO choose
The cure for the evil Goes not lie in new or
1nendtd eligibility rules. An eligible man may
12.lasA a nose or crack Il skull in z SCr1nlnlaEe,
footRalI decently PLAYED should be the best OF
soihes Tor young men. II be made ana Kept
So out the brutality which the rules require
sfiq The coWaFdly smuggling in the midst 81
HeFifnInage, which would not occur n dAtecflon
ERE not known 10 be impossible, must be torh
away
:. nc suggestion was laid before tse Presidents
u certain Of our universities that it might not
Continued On eighth pHxA