The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-07-11
PRIZEFIGHTING NOT
SIGN OF DEGENERACY
When Interest In Personal Combats Dies Out Military
Spirit Will Be Lacking-Attack on Fight and Pic
lures Not Consistent.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

order 20 save the heraIds OF Chris |
tiaI.ity- When the day comes that an /
International prize-fght arouses no /
thrill or interest. me CautlOuSHeSS ana 4
sweet passivity OF the American peo- /
pie VIII cause few TO fly 70 the aid or T
missionaries whose personal acquain- !
lance they have never made
Concerning GIadiatoriaI Shows
We have reverentIy and carefully
read the Bible. but We 90 not remem- B
Der that the founder Of Christianity
ever preached a sermon against the
slaoiatorial shows so common IN His
cay or threatened to use political in
i-uel-e against the governor Of Cali
. 4ee Il lhey We're not stopped. The
Apostles evidently tbo71r-h+ i 5,e+ter
gradually 10 upIift ne world nv NOD
Grafton and compromises rather than
/ fiy IN the face OF human nsfT1-e -
lney say naugnt about gIadfaror5sl
! com bats. In fact, ST. Paul useT Toosi
AgfcLDly the language OF combat in
MS HgureS Of speech, without a VOID
OF ulsapproVal Of the source II the
mere adding Of IN attraction which
would draw the popuIace 10 a brT1fa,
eAili oitlon w1-s Ubiquitous. then the
early Christians who eagerly sought
/ nlartyrdom u add 10 a Roman hoIi-
o%y died IN sin. for their fortunes in
! the arena were one of the r1osf DoDT1-
lar features at the imperial shows.
Inc plea that this particular fight has
stlrred up race prejudice and worked
great naTrn, especially since Johnson
won. - sound. but il IS NI-tfmed The
orlglIal agitation against the fight ma
on me ground that Il would disgrace
me state OF California, because IL was
l a night Simply that and u0rhfrle~ -,ora
AFTER the battle was assures in Nevada
under legal sanction. The luff,.--v7 = tory
/ 80 lhclaIions from pulpirs IN the East.
I with prophecies OF the evils that ulight
/ arise from unduly initiating the uegr0es
| DE q victory for johnson were in Them
/ serves direct incentives 10 race strife
/ Any sensible man knows thar II me ont
1 come mas exercised q disIurbiuE influence
| upon the negroes, and they have shown
arrogance by insulting or atracEfng
1 Hlltess the punishment rneted out TO
I ttisIl mas been prompt and severe. and
l the whites, who have taken SUMMARY ac-
! llon n their own defense or revenge
/ nave found a moral justification for
/ tleir course the disturbing hsrangues Of
/ tIelr o"n preachers It is best TO let
] sleeping dogs lie, but reforners seldom
nave me Judgment 10 recognize the
! truth OF this adage.
War on Pictures.
As a matter OF public policy. IN view
OF the conditions which have arrfciaIIv
arisen because OF the unceasina, All
tation against the fight, Il is. perhaps.
| vel 70 prohibit the exhibition Of the
/ moving pictures OF the JeFries-Johnson
| bout while the popular mind IS over
heated, but only on that ground. There
IS no sane reason why, later on. when
/ the discussion has becom more AGA
/ demic, they should not be shown Prize
| fight pictures have been displayed in
TINS country for years. with little OF
no protest The opposition 10 the JET
| fr1es-JOhnsOn films has proved a won
derfully effective advertising medium
Tor those who have led the attack. b71-
what about the Gans-Nelson. and the
Johnson-ketchel pictu-es2 There was
no war on them because adve~tfsf7e
genius at that tine had not conceived
the Idea Of that action as z medium
10Y publ elty- The plant, almost IN
tlrely rom the whites, that the Jef.
fTieS-JolnsOu pictures should be s=7.p
pressed because they are --brutaIfzinE'
becomes absurdiy inconsistent vrher
viewed in connection with the fndff
ference OF the white reformers 10 sfrnf
lar productions which were not srrf.
fclentiy prominent 20 make opposition
20 them serious enough to-Rttract n,
attention OF the newspapers 10 the Cd
pOSers.