The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-11
AUBURN WANTED
 THE WHOLE WORLD Alabama Claims That Its Rival
 Was DictatoriaI ONE SIDE OF TROUBLE No Southern Man Capable of Umpir- ing Says Auburn-Donahue Does Net Wish to Air His Side Of
 the Controversy.
ONE SIDE OF TROUBLE

When it became known that Auburn and Alabama would not meet on the football arena this season, The Age-Herald in- quired of pr. Pollard of Alabama and NJ. J. Donahue of Auburn as to reasons, because the Atlanta Georgian had pre- viously announced that the reason for the severance of relationship was that Au- burn feared that Alabama's regard for the laws of the s. l. A. A. was not as deeply rooted as it's own.
 Yesterday the two coaches answered, Donahue stating that he preferred not to enter newspaper discussion and Pol lard giving detailed account of the facts that led up to the breaking off.
 Alabamas side of the controversy fol- lows:
 Matter of Expenses.
 On January 23 1908, the University of Alabama football management received letter from MT. Thomas Bragg of Auburn, jnclosing contracts for the proposed foot ball game between Auburn and Alabama which was to be played in Birmingham on November 14 requesting the signing and return of same at an early date.
 These contracts called for the round trip expenses of 2 men on each team and hotel rates at SS.5O per day, in contrast to the contracts which governed the game in 1907. which made provision for the transportation expenses of 1T men on each team and a hotel allowance of B per day per man.
 In view of the fact that the expenses of the Auburn team would be something over three times that of the Alabama team. and also in view of the fact that this expense money would be taken from the gross receipts of the game, thereby materially lessening Alabamas share of the legitimate profits, the Alabama man. agement. after considerable deiberation, decided to attempt d compromise with MT Bragg to the extent of offering as substitute a new contract calling for the round trip expenses of 20 men on each team and hotel rate of $3 per day, rate which would easily secure good accom- modations in Birmingham.
 On February 2l contracts embodying the above stipulations were sent to MT. Bragg. These contracts were promptly re- turned with the statement that Auburn would not agree to any reduction in the number of men which the original con tracts called for.
 As to Officials.
 At this time the question of officials was brought up and MT. Bragg's answer to Alabamas inquiries was, We have not decided the question of officials, but Will do so by April l." Pending Auburn's de- cision of officials the question of contracts was allowed to remain quiescent till April 6. when MT Bragg was again ap- preached by letter asking if a decision in regard to officials had been reached. The reply came that this question would be taken up as soon as the signed con tracts for the game were sent on to Au- bum However, Alabama was privileged to confer with Coach Donahue when he should arrive in Tuscaloosa with the Au- burn baseball team Accordingly, MT. Donahue was interviewed on this subject and the Alabama representative was in formed that, while Auburn would agree to a southern man as referee it was their
 
 umpire.
 At a meeting which took place between Mr. Bragg and Mr. Donahue of Auburn and Mr. Prichard and Dr. Pollard of Ala bama, held in the parlors of the McLes- ter hotel, Tuscaloosa, Saturday evening, April D, the question of officials was thor oughly thrashed out. Auburn advanced a umpire that there was not a man in the south of sufficient ability to act as um- pire in intercollegiate contests. Alabama contended that there were men in the south who were competent to handle this game from the umpires standpoint, and also pointed out the increase of approx inately $25O in the running expenses of the game if a northern man was secured. Furthermore, Alabama could not appre- ciate the necessity of going so far away from home to secure officials for this par ticular contest when MT. Bragg had stat ed but a few minutes before that while Alabama considered the Auburn Alabama game the most important contest on it's schedule, there were at least four other games on the Auburn schedule which he considered fully as important as that with Alabama and followed up this declara- ton with the statement that he had ac cepted or was to accept, southern men as officials in all these other contests. Suggestions of officials who had formerly handled the Aubnn-Alabama games were flatly turned down by Messrs. Bragg and Donahue.
 Auburn also refused to entertain any suggestion as to reducing the number of men and the hotel rate which was pro- posed in the original contract as sub initted by them, although the possibility | of securing Birmingham representatives fYf Auburn to look after her interests at : l,.u, gates or of Alabama's furnishing ad ,1itiasnal men to handle this part of the aa,aI.ls of the game, Alabama being so ,,ahted that she could furnish three men ,t M same cost that it would take to ,,,,cI one Auburn man on the gates, was Ii.,'ssssrol sted Auburn's refusal to entertain ~,,,5 af afss0Alma's suggestions made it ev- ident that a fompronhse at that tiine was impossible, ssU the ulscussioii was cioseo'
 Alabamh Submits contract.
 At a meetinfs or the eXecutlVe commit .aa of inc IJni5sersity of Alabama Athletic association the att'uue or Aupurh rep .'r-santa atives das thoroughly discussed and their dictatorlai attude coihihenteo on. ation was taken instructing Manager ~,..ad ddocl, and Dr. Pollard to draw up ' A.