New-York tribune., 1905-11-29
CALL FOR CONFERENCE.
Nero-Y York University Stands Ready
to G5Ue Up Game.

| New-York University stands ready to abolish
football. 1t put itself squarely on record yes
terday afternoon favorlng the abolition Of
the game. when it announced that its delegates
to proposed intercollegiate conference would
be instructed to support the first resolution Of
fered for the abolition of the game
The faculty meeting yesterday followed one Of
! the committee student organizations, and re-
! solved unanimously to recommend to the uni
versity corporation, which meets to-day, the
| calling Of a conference Of all the universities
and colleges with which New-York University
has had football relations. If the corporation
| fails to adopt the course outlined by the fac
uity it will do something without precedent in
the history of the university
| The colleges which will be invited to take part
in the proposed conference are Princeton, Co
lumbia, Union, West Point Syracuse, Amherst,
Wesleyan. Lafayette, Lehigh. Rochester,
| Swarthmore. Hamilton, Haverford, Rutgers.
Trinity Ursinus Fordham, Rensselaer, Poly
| technic Institute and the Stevens Institute Of
Technology. The invitation will be couched in
the following terms:
Upon the unanimous recommendation of the fac
ulty Of the College of Arts and the faculty OF the
vites each Of the nineteen colleges and universities
this university in any year since it's organization, in
1886. 70 conference TO consider such questions as
the following:
second-If not. what steps should be taken to
ThirdIf abolished, what game or games. may
iettc ISsbt Representatives. nj in attendanee2
Each college or university is invited to send a
representative Of its faculties and represent ntatve
Of its athletic organization making possible mem
It IS deemed proper 70 add that the delegates
ommeudation Of the committee stddent organ
zations, instructed support the first resou-
abolished 1t IS understood that the decision Of
the conference viii not be binding any college
participating.
This call for a conference was issued by New
York University following the failure Of Chan
ceilor MacCracken to induce President Eliot Of |
Harvard to call a conference. The reply Of |
President Eliot to Chancellor MacCracken was |
received yesterday morning. 1t reads fol- |
lows;
Cambridge, November IS, 1906
Dear Chancellor MacCracken:
Your night telegram reached me this afternoon.
iege Presidents about football They certainly can
sv re9F n 6sh IT. axamP a2g65 if es on @
sole authority put an an end t. football d at aTya
Bomcthins BY seT5!7s tssstEsR I aR80la net fay9r
ing down Deaths and injuries are not the strong
est argument against football. That cheating and
brutality are pr0'asBhs sacerel2 4 iRo yoara ala ev
Chancellor MacCracken said yesterday after
noon:
NeW-YOT University VIII not aoousn lpolbdl
until this conference has been held, II if 6e held
we do not intend to announce our anal decision
statements in morning paper to-day that intend
to abolish football my initiative are mis-
leading I have not the power TO do SO have
only vote In each of the three bodies TO which
such power delegated. The action OF the Faculty
this afternoon in recommending to the corporation
that thfs call for a conference be issued is taken
upon the unanimous vote of the faculty committee |
regret that President Eliot feels himself unable
to respond favorabIy to my request. aware | ,
that President Eliot is not chairman of the Harvard
ard NJ overs
sufcient influence inspire such action as sug-
gested His influence at Harvard must be greater
han mine here account of his Huch longer term
he is the senior college president of the
Atlantic slope and the head Of what is recognized ;
with regard to the probable action of New-Tork
University, the sentiment of faculty is clearly
onalIy consider that football should be abso-
utely abolished, for term OF years; at least l
o pick out the flaws Of the game and I certainly
annot suggest any substitute for football If it be
boIshed- In my opinion the glseoVery OF a sub
University corporations exercise the veto |
over any form of sport Of which they do not c
3 to the forms of sports. I think that a confer h
nee Of delegates from student athletic assooa- 4
ions would have the best chance OF arriving at 1 -
uccessfui conclusion in this matter
Late in the day Chancellor MacCracken re- t.
eived the following telegram from 1.-THE CIeve- 81
and Leader p
The college presidents of Ohio heartily indorse :;
our plan Of conference to consider reform of a a
,otball as suggested to President Eliot of Har- ~
ard. They wifi cooperate in any action to call re
lch q meeting. VIII you answer, detailing your |
an for the conference? ei
Chancellor MacCracken replied, telling of the az
lvitation for the conference of twenty colleges. W
nd intimating that this conference might issue So
Of |