The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-10
HARVARD STIRRED UP
Students Prepare to Second
Roosevelt on Football.
SENTIMENT GROWS RAPIDLY
Undergraduates Most vitality Inter-
ested-GenerR1 Feeling That Presi-
VIII Prevail with OverSeers-Un-
favorable Report Expected.

| Cambridge, Mass, March 9.-There Is
every sign of a coming storm at Harvard
over the question Of intercollegiate sth-
| letlcs. For the last two weeks there has
1 been growing sentiment among under
graduates that the controlling elements
in the administrative bodies Of the uni
verslty have determined to abolish foot
ball and to place serious limitations upon
other forms of intercollegiate sport Pres
/ ident Eliots OutspOken declaration
against football, even as played under
! the new rules. in his annual report that
was made public this week has only
confirmed undergraduate apprehension.
Since this report was published, the stu
dents have been discussing the advisd-
bfity OF organized opposition in case the
university authorities endeavor to abolish
the game Already the Crimson, Har-
wards daily newspaper. and the various
undergraduate magazines have entered
the lists and are publishing articles in
defense Of football and other forms Of
athletics.
May Recommend Abolition of Game.
In the March number Of the Harvard
Illustrated Magazine NJ S. Watts. a
graduate student, intimates that the spe-
cial committee appointed by the board
Of overseers last year to investigate ath-
letics is about ready 10 make a report
recommending the abolition of football
and the restriction Of the other forms Of
intercollegiate sport. This committee WIS
appointed after the university authorities
had voted 10 suspend all intercollegiate
contests after December ! Of last year.
When IL was found that the committee
would not be able to conclude its in
vestigatons before that date, the board
of overseers, together with the president
and fellows. voted TO extend the period OF
grace until July / OF this year. Unless
some further action is taken, there Will
be no more intercollegiate contests for
Harvard after that date. The two-year
agreement with Yale has already fallen
through because OF this negative vote, land
the spring football practice viii be much
hampered by the fact that the future Of
the game is uncertain.
Presidents Motive Learned.
II Is now common talk about the yard
that President Roosevelts strong plea for
I intercollegiate football in his address at
the Harvard Union several weeks ago was
made because ne had pretty definite in
formation as TO what the Harvard authori-
ties intended TO do with the game. The
report Of the special committee which has
looked into Harvard athletics is expected
March b. II Is in anticipation of It's un-
favorable comments that the Undergrad
uate publications are eudeavoring to line
up the student body in defense of the
present athletic system.
To anticipate the specific criticisms Of
the committee report about to De pub
lishCd. the Harvard Crimson is publishing
a series Of articles defending different fea-
lures of athletics under the present sys-
TEN.
The hrst OF these articles. a defense OF
professional coaching. appeared this morn
ing. It is written by A. J.. Castle 'C6,
who believes that Harvard should not
abandon professional coaches unless the
other colleges agree To do the same thing
Defends Professional Coaching.
He SAYS. in concluding his article:
Though in general. therefore. am
against professional coaching, yet / should
not like to see Harvard abandon her pro-
fessionaI coaches unless the other colleges
are willing to do so also. Harvard would
then be at such an obvious disadvantage
that candidates for the teams would, from
the beginning. see the possibility, even
probability, of defeat, which is more de
morallzing 10 enthusiastic sport than any
ethical disadvantage Of q professional
coach. Let each college abandon profess
sional coaches, and all will meet on per
fectly fair ground. Until then / sincerely
hope Harvard will stick TO the policy she
has adopted-and not allow her teams 10
meet others on unfair ground. TO be de-
feated year after year merely for the sake
OF theory"