Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-15
Reforms Necessary

HE next international Olympiad
4 will be held four years from now
The council in charage of these affairs
meets soon to decide whether Stock
holm or Berlin get the meet, SWedCus
capital win get the plum. the only OBJ
lection against il being the trouble
the city might have in financing the
aitair but with the government willing
To extend all possible aid this objec-
ton is Of no great consequence The
Incompetence of the English commit,
tees to handle the last meet paves the
way fer a new reform. Instead of
having local officials in charge It viii
be probably decided to have govern
ing board composed Of persons repre-
senting the various nations taking part
in the Olympiad. Much or the un.
pleasantness which arose during the
last meet Is explained by the fact that
the EnS,ishmen in charge had a bigger
job ON their hands than they could
come anywhere near handling. In hay
ing a managing board composed of all
nationalities no Partially would be
shown and with every competing ma
ton having a vote, voice and part IN
the making and carrying out of ar
engagements, there could be little cause
for friction. The international Olym-
piads are intended to he peace promot-
ing affairs. Instead Of fostering friend
ship the last Oympiad had more of an
opposite effect.
Other reforms are necessary Some
set of rules which can mean but one
thing should he formulated and every
| nation should understand them Then
| practise could be carried on under
| these rules; when the nations gathered
there would be no moro disputes a
there were when English tug-of-war
men came out on the field with huge
shoes and again when the American
pole vaulters were not permitted to
have holes for their holes. All athletes
should practise to do a thing one ceI-
tain way, that way should be the meth
Cd to b. used by all--arguments and
wrangling would thus be eliminated
Another thing Is that representatives.
of each country should get a fair and
even break If a country sends more
than ono runner for one event. for in
stance, each runner should have a
chance in different trial heats Ameri-
cas- runners We're put in the same heat
and had to fight for place In the final
among Themselves thus cutting one
of then out Of the finals. Had each
man beer given a chance with other
contestants in the various heats he
would have gone into the finals as get
ting qualifying place in the trial
heats would have entitled him to do.
All the fuss made over the result OF
the Marathon is unnecessary. Dorando,
game effort and all that but he col
lapsed and when helped to reach the
tape was out of the race by every rule.
written or unwritten of clean sports
manshir. Hayes came i'm unaded and
won the race as fairly and sduarcly as
ever race was won There WAS
plenty Of cause for complaint as ,ha
most common rules of sportsmanship
were ignored. Daniels had to strip off
his sweater and then jump In after his
opponents i'm the swimming race be-
cause the judges gave the signal go"
although they saw the American swim
mor was taking Off his sweater. Yes
indeed, board composed of roprcsen-
tatives of an competing nations is
needed II the Olympad Is 10 be con
tinued. Nothing less than such a board
can keep the custom alive. for America
and every sport and fair play loving
country viii have nothing more to do
with such an affair as tho last London
cmbrogiio