Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16
HENLEY STEWARDS
CAUSE A SURPRISE
American Entries to the Re-
gatta to Be. Accepted Only
ConditionaIIy.
Result of Disclosures Regarding
the Vesper Crew of Phil
adeIphia.

LONDON, December 15-As a result of
disclosures during the inquiry held by the
National Association of Amateur Oarsmen
of America, that the expenses of the crew
of the Vesper Boat Club of Philadelphia,
which rowed at Henley in 1907 had been
paid in part by public subscription, which
disqualified them under the laws of the
Amateur Rowing Association OF England,
and because the officers of the National
Association of American Oarsmen had GER
titled as to this crews status AK amateurs
without that inquiry which they had led
the Henley committee to believe had been
made, the stewards of the Henley regatta
passed a resolution today under which all
American crews and scullers are debarred
'in future from competing at the Henley
regatta until the American rowing authori-
ties complete an agreement with the Hen
ley committee such as already exists with
the French, German, Dutch, Belgian and
Canadian associations.
The question was brought up by Fletcher.
the oxford coach, an outcome of the
trouble in the Vesper Boat Club of Phila-
delphia last June, and after a long dis
cussion the general rules Of the regatta
were ordered to be altered in accordance
with resolution, which was unanimously
approved, as follows:
NO entries shall be accepted of any
crew or scullers out of the united king
dom belonging to a club not affiliated to a
UNION iie or recreation having an agreement
with the committee In charge of the man
agement of the Henley regatta"
only two countries Of any prominence in
the rowing world are affected by the reso-
iution.namely. the United States and
Australia.
Motion Made in June.
Fletcher gave notice Of this motion on
June q, after the stewards had decided to
debar the Vesper crew from future partici-
patton in the Henley regatta, and II has
been much discussed since that time As
first proposed the resolution dramatically
debarred the committee from acceptine the
entries Of crews and scullers from America
but Fletcher intimated that his idea was
only to make this temporary, in order to
give the Americans time Ito put their house
IN ORDER This step, however, was con-
sidered far too drastic course by the rank
and file of oarsmen, who did not believe
That all American oarsmen should suffer
from sins Of the Vespers and the failure of
the officers of the Nationai Association of
Amateur OarSmen to make full inouiries
before certifying to the qualifications of this
crew. 1t was therefore decided to dehar
the crews OF any country not having an
association in agreement with the Henley
committee.
Expected Effect of Resolution.
1t Is believed that this resolution, as PASS
ed. will induce the National Association Of
Amateur Oarsmen to make such arrange
ments with the Henley committee as will
insure in the future the entry only of such
crews whose amateur status is unques-
toned.
Today's meeting Of the regatta stewards
was he'd under the presidency of ]. w.
Rhodes behind closed doors. Among others
present were Lord Desborough, Sir Robert
Hermon Hodge, w. F. D. Smith, NJ P: r.
c. Lehman nd Coach Fletcher. The pass
ing of even this moderated resolution has
caused surprise here, as 1t was thought
that the regatta stewards were satsned
after the discussion which has taken place
the past year, that their wishes would be
met by the American rowing associations