Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-21
TRAINING TABLE
MAY CAUSE SPLIT
Nebraska Athletic Board Will No,
Wait for Conference
Action.
SPECIAL GRUB FOR TRACK MEN
Final Vote to Repeal Rule Too Late
for Spring Training.
KANSAS MAY FOLLOW EXAMPLE
Jsyhawkers Known to Be Against
Limitation.
FOX TEACHES MEN TO BUNT
Base Rail- Coach Hopes to Have squad
Outdoors h week-FOot Bali
Coach Matter stIn in
the Air.
Final Vote to Repeal Rule Too Late
for Spring Training.
MAY FOLLOW EXAMPLE
OK TEACHES MEN TO BUN1

LINCOLN, Neb., March 2O.-(special)-
VIII Nebraska appear to be waving q
torch OF defiance in the face OF n majority
of the schools composing the Missouri val
ley conference when II next week votes to
establish a training table for the Corn
husker athletes7 viii such a step be likely
to bring down upon the local state ~institu-
ton a severe reprimand from that majority
for violation of the recently adopted con
ference rule prohibiting the maintenance
Of a training table by any member of the
big Seven?'
These are pertinent questions which have
been raised in connection with the APP
polntment of a committed by the Cornhus-
ker athletic board to investigate the prop
osition of feeding the cinder-nath athletes
at a special table this spring and follow
ing the announcement that enough of the
Nebraska athletic mentors are in favor
of the track mems training table TO as
sure its receiving the sanction of the board
at a special meeting called for next week.
That the Nebraska board will be setting
a precedent by making such a move. which
will probably be followed by one or two
other schools, and that IT'S action will un-
doubtedly have an important bearing on
the training table question when II comes
up for = final vote before the conference
are undeniable points that have been
brought out in the dis usslon. But lust
what the Cornhusker board itself will be-
come embroiled in by keeping a table can
only be conjectured after the recent leEis-
lation against the foot ball training table
is recalled and the attitude of each school
In the conference on that ruling is looked
into.
Limited sbIe Abolished.
Until this year the Missouri valley con-
ference has had a rule which permitted
any school in that organization TO keep a
training table for its athletic teams pro-
viding the cost to the management OF any
school was not to exceed $500. At n meet
Ing of the representatives of the seven in
situations composing this body in Kansas
City In February this ruling was repealed
by a vote of six to one. Kansas being the
only dissenting member. Since that time.
though, the athletic boards OF Nebraska
and Missouri have declared in favor OF the
training table and will be allied with Kan
sas to fight to keep it in the big Seven"
According to the regulations of the big
Seven" II any school. through its athletic
board or representative, rejects a measure
passed by the conference within sixty davs
after the adoption of it. such a measure
shall be reconsidered at the next session OF
the schools. In the case of tho training
rtable rule Kansas has already complied
with the regulations OF the conferences and
rejected that measure. Nebraska and Mis-
sour have voted to do the same. Now tho
question comes up as to whether Nebraska
In taking the proposed action in establish
Ing a training table for the track athIetes
VIII be breaking a rule of the conferences.
win the Cornhuskers be either legally or
morally right in doing so?
From a standpoint of legality nm answer
must hinge upon the doubt as to whether
the conference action against the training
table has become a rule of that body he-
fore II has been rnconsidered after having
been rejected by one or more OF the
schools. II, when It was adopted. Il he
came a Law binding on all the conference
schools until II should be repealed at an
other session, then Nebraska is establish
Ing a training table will be violating a rule
OF the big Seven and can be subjected
to censure by that organization. on the
other hand. as the majority Of tho Ne
braska athletic board lo-k at the sltua-
ton. the training table rule. since II has
been disapproved by the athletic mentors
at three schools. is not a law OF the 'Bix
Seven" until the final vote has been taken
on 1t. This view Of the situation leaves
"N wv INV hNihiiNiluk a training tahle.
in force, and gives the Cornhuskers a right
70 run a table II they like.
Minority Oppose Table.
But, looking at the proposition from tho
the other side. one or two men on the
Cornhusker hoard OF control who do not
favor the training table declare that. since
the vote for doing awsy with IL at the
Kansas City meeting was six TO one. Ne
braska is morally bound to observe the
wishes OF that majority untii further ac-
ton has been taken. Leaving out tina
legal question. they assert. no school has
a right TO take any action that would
have been disapproved by the Kansas City
meeting. These Cornhuskers are Of the
opinion, too, that Nebraska is legally bound
to observe the rule against the training
table until 1t has been acted upon at the
next session Of the conference.
In answering their critics the majority
members OF the Nebraska board make a
good defense. The fact that action OF the
Big Seven" against the training table has
been -disapproved by three of the confer
ence schools gives Nebraska. or any other
member, a right to retain the custom, for
the trio OF schools will be enough to re-
ject the measure at the next conference
meeting. A two-thirds being required 20
make a rule binding on the seven mem
bers OF the conference. With Kansas, Mis-
souri, and Nebraska favoring the training
table. a reconsideration OF the measure
passed at Kansas City will result in its
being defeated. Ames. Iowa. Washing
ton and Drake will stnl be In favor OF
abolishing the table, but the Cornhuskers
do not think that these four schools should
have their own way when the three other
conference universities are wanting some
thing else.
II the measure abolishing the training