The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-11-01
AMERICANS NOT
ASKED OPINIONS

New York, Nov. /. - The Revue
olypmipue,' the Official organ of the
International Olympic committee, de-
voted lot of space recently to the
unitication of the amateur definition,
and 1t frankly admits that after two
Years Of hard work upon the question,
the agreement to a rule which would
suit all countries is well nigh impos-
slble. As to what is to be done with
regard to the games of 1912, Theodore
Cook of England is of the opinion that
the wisest policy to pursue is to let
the Swedish definition of the amateur
prevail at the meet Until stand
ardized definition of the amateur is
unearthed, 1t Is better to let the coun-
try holding thes games attend to the
matter
When the international committee
started to get at the universal defni-
ton of the amateur, an English sport
ing paper sent queries to every coun-
try in the world asking for the opin-
Ion of men versed in amateur sport.
Very few questions were asked of
Americans, and it was curious that
those in a position were not asked
for their views. For instance, no
man at the head of the Intercol-
legiate American Amateur Athletic
association, or the Amateur Athletic
union, the two great governing bodies
OF amateur sport in America, told
what they thought would be a good
all-around definition of the amateur.
The views of a few Americans were
published, but they were useless be-
cause they came from men who were
not versed in the modern statistics
of track and field sports, or else knew
little or nothing about amateurism.
1t was remarkable that one or two
Americans gave opinions, and they
were never inside an athletic field in
their lives, nor had affiliation with any
athletic association on this side of the
water
Differ in Detail.
In referring to the Information from
America, the Revue Olympioue"
says: "The replies from the Ameri-
can associations and universities are
perhaps the most interesting of all
the series, in that they exemplify the
variations in point Of detail which
may accompany agreement in princi-
pie. The questions put by Professor
Sloane are not identified with the five
sent to the Euopean associations, but
they develop the same opinions. The
preliminary questions as to the de-
STABILITY of a general definition of the
and the advisability of re-
stricting international sport by such
definition, reveals large majority
IN favor of the movement toward uni
hcation, while all are agreed that no
athlete can derive profit directly in
money or moneys worth, and remain
an amateur.
When, however, we arrive at the
debatable ground of expenses, we find
that while five universities agree in
principle with the limitation of ex-
penses, two universities and six as
socfations do not. The United States.
we may remember, is a vast country,
and the difficulty inherent upon the
development of amateur sport there
have rendered some relaxation to the |
hard and fast limit necessary But |
many suspensions have been made of |
athletics who have demanded unreal |
sonable expense money, and it may be |
aiken that while the associations,
limiting expenses to actuaf disburse-
nents of the athlete, are not prepared |
% set down any definite limit to the |
mount of expenses which an athlete |
may incur owing to the magnitude of |
he journeys which he may be COM
RELIED to take. In Europe generally
he allowance Of travelling and hotel
expenses is recognized, but in srv-
sral instances the wise precaution is
recommended of making the reim-
through a club and not
lirect to a competitor
Returning from the side issues in
yolved in the answers to the ques-
ions put by the International Olym-
BIC committee to the whole subject of
lmateurism, we may note that the