The Washington times., 1910-02-06

Those who were OF the opinion that
when the football rules committee met
TO discuss the code for next season,
only the most technical changes would
be made in order 10 quiet the public
clamor, today are unable to find any
ground upon which 20 base such a sus-
piciou.
Certainly the intercollegiate rules
committee has never held a session in
which the public has been taken SO com
pIetely into IT'S confidence as the one
just ended Except for the names or
those who proposed the changes and
the personal opinions OF its members,
the committee has published practically
everything that viii be Of help in ar
irving az the d@a:.--i ~esult-the elimi-
nation of any too fecuud causes Of in
Outlines Position.
Perhaps Dr. James a Babbitt OF
Haverford College. best outlined the
committees position He said that the
committee wanted 10 get the pubIic's
opinion and help on the subject OF pop
er and adequate 70 tban rules revision
IL was realized. said, that every
one had a right to Low what went on
toward this end The committee felt
that it would not be true TO itself O. to
the duty imposed upon IL unless its pO-
sition in this regard was made perfect
u clear.
So far as rule changes were concern
ed IL was ore thing TO legislate them
what had been put IN the code would
accomplish the desired result Five
years ago, he points out, q radical re-
vision had been made that had kept the
u
trained players throughout four long,
successive seasons Then. out or a clear
SKY. had come the lamentabie injuries
OF last yeaT-the result OF the coaches
having solved the rules
The only thing to do in the present
CISe IL was pointed out was 20 give the
new code that would be adopted at the
committees meeTlT-sE next month thor
OuCh trial next fall Except by a try
out in real intercollegiate contest there
could be no telling that what II was de-
sired 10 accomplish had actually been
accomplished 4 rule might look very
good on paper. but until the coaches
and players had had a hack at Il on
the field there was no telling that d
was an thar It ought 10 be
Resume the Game.
In his opinion the wisest thing to do
was TO resume the playing Of the same
by every one interested IN it under the
rules that would smanate from the Com-
rniJtee. lie did not think that non
football playing faculties could. merely
from even the most careful peTUSal OF
the code arrive at any true determine
deTed &c safe as IL was desirable that
70 should be- he asked q suspension Of
public opinion on this point until what
the committee OLD had been tried out IN
the FIRE OF practice.
Every member Of the committee united
in the statement that never had lis de
lbera1Ons been so harmonious as they
have been this year Not a trace OF
ac-imOny OF selfish desires had cropped
out
Upon the adjournment Of the commit
tee Yesterday afternoon the following
statements were made by, its secretary.
r. X Han, OF Dartmouth
Makes Statement
1T was the sense OF the meeting that
the injuries that have occurred IN Am
ericau foo ball during the past season
are Ia ely traceabIe to the diving
tackle 30 persistent massed attacks on
a gwen point. and. IN certain cases. 10
the exhausted condition Of the players.
The committee announces that its
first session has been given up 20 the
consideration OF the mitigation or re-
movaI Of these evils; and that, after
fun discussion and CAREFUL elaboration
OF the many proposals that have been
laid before IT. the committee purposes
so to modify the rules OF the game q
viii. 50 far as can be fOreseen. free the
game from these and other objection
able features
The aCsEUu which the committee took
shown in the following statement Of
Efr HaIf-resuIted from numerous re-
quests that il received from the head
matters OF preparatory schools and the
principals Of high schools throughout
the country. but from. the Middle West
in particular This statement was
''Ehe committee IS OF the opinion thaS
those who are 20 participate in inter
collegiate or interSChGlastic athletics
should he subjected TO thorough physI-
cal examination at the beginning Of
heir training. and that they should
further be under careful supervision
throughout the season Of play.
Announce Proposals
Announcement was then made Of the
three combinations or groups Of pro
posed chauEes in the. football code. The
ideas. contained in these groups had
been seized upon by the committee as
perhaps the reTneI OF de-
sired reform. but it WIS not 10 be con-
sidered that. as they stOOC, 50 would
they be incorporated into the code.
IL is shown by the tentative approval
OF ali three groups that the experts Of
the committee. as gTeu as the expert ad-
zee 1t has received. tend toward the be-
iieE L1aL Lhe LcEWa pass d HoW per
mitted constitutes one OF the chief men
aces To safe football. Through its per
instability the defense has been opened
up into four lines Instead OF having a
secondary defense that can back I'D the
most vulnerable points Of attack-the
tackies-the secondary defense is now
split into three lines to defend against
the forward pass and the Onside kicT-,
If. therefore. these two plays as now
permitted are banned. II is believed that
yhe defensive backfeld viii be brought
into It's old position with regard to the
line thereby providing that assistance
to the tackles and ends which viii pre-
vent the serious injury Of the players Of
these positions In place of the present
forward pass Il is almost unanimously
recommended that a forward pass shall
be allowed behind the line Of Scrimmage
20 any player behind it at the time the
bail Is snapped back This in itself viii