The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-21
PRESIDNT PLANS
FOOTBALL REFORM
Roosevelt, Believes in Game, but
Seel,to Prevent Brutality
l. on Gridiron.

Philadelphia, Nov. 21.-Dr. j. Will
lam Whe, professor of surgery at the
UniversH of Pennsylvania and a mem
Der of The university committee on
athletics has returned from Washing
ton, wh.e he had been summoned by
Preside1 Roosevelt to discuss matters
relatingo football. On his return De
White sid: r
"Thepresident' did me the honor of
White -ouse for the purpose Of discuss
ing viii him the situation as to Ameri-
can fo5ball. An article Of mine pub
lishedn last week $ Outlook was the
occasia of the invitation.
GA to what took place during my
visit 1e president has permitted me to
say tat we are in complete accord as
to thfneed of a permanent abolition of
brutdty and foul play; of the increase
of t. powers of the officials, and Of !
the sverity of the penalties as being
necsary to bring about such abolition;
as the desirability of careful consiG.
eraon of any changes in the rules
tina may be required to minimize dan
gewhile preserving the essential, many
an vigorous characteristics Of the
gaze, and as to the urgent need of
eanest effort to secure simple and
usform eligibility code for all Ameri-
ca coileges and universities.
Not Against Football.
1.-The president said he Femphatically
elieyes in continuing the game
''The president added: sBrutalitv
md foul play. should receive the same
summary punishment given to a man
who cheats at cards, who strikes q foul
blow in boxing. The umpire must have
the widest latitude in enforcing this
principle, even to the extent of order.
[ng not only individual players. but
whole teams off the field, and college
Presidents should hold to the sharpest
tccountapltlty the umpire who permits
foul or brutal football in anv game
we want simple rules. not comn1i-
c,ted rues, because complicated rules
otier tooImany loopholes. The resnons;,
Die authorities of the several co1leras
whose tams play together should haye
what my be called gentleman s apree.
me1t mt afong themselves that these rules
Snail p' enforced in spirit as we'll as in
what gees on in his college and each see- zee.
ing tothe permanent removal from The
game lot only. of the foul and brutal
player but of the man who is not q
bona Ide student and amateur.
Preserve the Game.
- Wouiu De a real misfortune to
lose 70 manly and vigorous a game as
foothll, and to avert such a possibility
the t0Ilege authorities in each college
sh0qd see to it that the game in that
coll ge is clean.'
The president explained to me the
selection Of the institutions that came
to the conference at the White House
last mnth by saying:
"'l was asked to call it by represen
tative of Harvard, Yale and Princeton
and cslled it accordingly. If Pennsyl
vania, Columbia and Cornell representa-
tlves ad happened to make the sugges
tion ten only those three colleges Wouli
have cen asked
HB spoke more than once of the de
sira bfty Of continuing the game and OF
extening to as many as possible it's ad
vantaes with the safeguards already
ment5ned. He said that the leading
collees should get together and agree
to ply one another under such an agree
mentas he prescribed.
"ce also spoke of the far greater rel
ativ danger Of many other sports ant
pastmes, some Of which he enumerated
He showed Enthusiastically keen in
teret in aid thoro acquaintance witt
the yhole subject.'