Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-11-13

Is invited TO consider few com
ments thereon. The Davis Cup Will
be played for on November 20.
lin America a controversy has
been raised as to altering the consti-
tuition of Davis Cup team after
playing preliminary round. eXcep-
tion having been taken to the Unit
ed States beating the British Isles
with one team last year and send
ing another team to Australia for
the final. whereas the British Isles
team, In the event OF victory In PHI
ladelphia. would have gone on to
Australia unaltered. A similar state
Of affairs. 1t is contended, prevails
this year. II is argued that, where
as the British Isles went down be-
fore powerful team In the preli-
minary tie. they might have beat
en- the American team that suisse
quently lost in Australia. and that
the conditions were. therefore, I'M
equal. On the score of fair play. n
plea has been made for the British
Isles to be opposed this week by the
team America proposes to send to
Australia, the contention being that
we should have an equal chance with
Australia of beating the Americans.
Had these points been raised few
years ago. | should have regarded
them OF minor Importance, ON the
score of impracticably and n mutual
desire to meet each other In diff
culties, but the aspect of affairs has
been altered with the introduction
OF heavy monetary guarantees. and
II the present conditions controlling
see stipulations being made for re-
preventative teams, or players with
names calculated to draw gate.
For instance. America might not al
ways be prepared to pay the same
guarantee for team of the quality
! just sent over as they would to re-
, teive the Dohertys, and 1t would hit
the l.. T. A. very hard If they rails
ed guarantee fund or tsay) e 400
and found that some other country
sent players over here with no pre-
tensions to international class, in or
der to collar the bawbees, rather
than scratch.
Financial matters are bound to
enter In international sport, but
regard It as unfortunate that the
, precedent of heavy guarantees was
established last year, the more so
us we were unable to reciprocate this
year, and might some day be In
similar position. what We should
endeavor to guard against Is Grip
ping the financial resources of the
respective National Associations, and
better would II be II some inter-
national agreement were arrived at
with n view to necessary expenses
only being guaranteed, rather than
any country should be out to scoop
In fat sum, no matter what the
quality OF its team might be. The
best available as distinct from the
very best teams, could be sent from
one country to another with easy
consciences, and II any money above
guaranteed actual expenses accrued
from the share of the gate tafter
expenses have been deductedD. II
would be thrice welcome, for the
reason that no heavy. loss would fail
on anybody. On the other hand, IT
the fat guarantee business Is pro-
ceeded with, II will reach uncom-
Portable lengths, and II will be n
bad day for somebody II the Aus
! tralians or Americans should be
brought over here in a wet summer,
or when public interest is on the
wane, only to play before small
crowds, and scoop up, large sums OF
l.. T. A. money. Let us suppose that
South Africa, Belgium, Germany.
Austria. France. America and Aus
tralia all challenged the British Isles
for the Cup. what a terrible thing
1t would be to face demands from
all for uarantees-demands that
would be established on precedent.
AS finance has already led to uI-
seemly difficulties and unkind words
over the Davis Cup competition, It
would appear that the time Is ripe
for new conditions to be drawn up
and an equitable understanding ar
rived at"
With the first argument many
viii agree; II is not with the tb,cs
OF that question, however, tina. the
writer intends to deal, but he in
tends combining himself to the fin
ancial portion ofNthe question The
average Engiishman has the reputa-
lion In America OF being. dull,
harmless sort Of cuss, and when dis
cussing such an important matter
as gate money he would, no doubt,
maintain suitable gravity. "Pessi-
mist" is deliciously naive in imply