Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-31
LEARNED MEN ON PRIZE FIGHT
)rs. Wheeler and Butler Discuss the
Jeffries- johnson Fistic Encounter.
EACH MAN HAS HIS OWN THEORY
admit Putting on the Gloves Has n
Cultural value, Hut it
Brings n bad
Crowd.

NEW YORK, May s0.-DrS Benjamin Ide
Wheeler, president of the University OF
California, and DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler.
president of Columbia university, sat In
e. Waldorf Astoria motel Saturday after
noon and discussed with misgivings the
attention which Is being paid in the east
10 the approaching conflict between James
Ieffries and Jack johnson in the prize
ring in San Francisco on Independence day
Il wish" said DR.. Wheeler opening up
the argument, that the eastern newspapers
would talk about something else besides
the fight In connection with the FAIR state
OF California, which 1 love-
Or. Butler, who Is one of Americas
greatest opponents of world peace and who
at the Lake Monhonk conference recently
spoke in harsh and bitter words OF inter-
national statesmen who are responsible for
warfare introduced a new angle into the
discussion by suggesting that without
prize fights we might degenerate into a
race of mollycoddles'
IF people won't give us credit for any
thing but prize fights, think we ought
to get rid of the prize fight in California
President Wheeler continued
Governor Gillctt says you can't get ria
of this particular prize fight, according TO
the laws of the state" DR.. Wheeler was
reminded.
AT any rate we got rid Of IT on our
side Of the bay" he replied. They cant
hold Il in Erneryvllle because the senti-
ment of the people forced the district at
torney to prohibit it,
Admits Some People want IL.
Mayor Mccarthy OF San Francisco says
the people want It." but in the reportorial
chronicler of this discussion.
'well perhaps most of them do" DR..
Ntal but ma 4
on our side of the bay"
President Butler, who had been listening
attentivoly, said; Now, look here pro-
fessor, how are you going to get rid of
mollycoddlsm without prize fghts?'
"Oh, don't want mollyooddles any more
than you do" said the Californian in a
shocked tone. II like the struggle and l
should like to put on the gloves and get
into the ring myself for that. Putting on
the gloves is a great thing" And President
Wheeler hooked as though he would like
TO show what he could do with the padded
mitts.
do you think prize fighting has great
cultural value?" asked President Butler.
President Wheeler looked peeved for a
moment and a doubtful expression crossed
his countenance.
Putting on the gloves may have cul-
skepticism in his voice. but the GROVE
that is brought together by prize figh
is a bad thing Why is 1t that reporter
always ask me about the fight the frs
thing when they come to interview with
mel"
THAT is what I should like to know,
put in President Butler.
Getting Mt Fads.
ssG,raIv so many not inter
ested in the fight, the sporting EDITOR
evidently think that because they in
terested all the readers of the papers are
There is q mistake the papers make
quite so, quite So" said the western
collegan heartily.
why" exclaimed President Butler
warming to his subject. there isn't on
person out Of every 100 who ever heard O
this fight"
President Wheeler here hastened to de
muir.
They all know the names Jeffries an
Johnson" said no.
Perhaps not in the university precincts,
put in DR.. Butler. You can take the firi
100 people you meet in the street." cor
tinued the New York professor, and as
them what they think of the fight and the
wont know what you're talking about"
D
busy Thirty-fourth street.
do you see that cab driver7" he aske
DR.. Butler said he did.
Now, to test your theory suppose v
go out and ask him IL he thinks Jeffri,
will win," said the Californian.
THAT wouldn't be a fair test" objectC
Dr. Butler.
do you suppose all these people sittir
around" said DR.. Wheeler. pointing to Il
hotel lobby, would like to go out and s.
the fight?'
The reporter said he thought they woul
The two learned professors shook the
heads gloomily and the reporter departs
while they launched into an animated di
A cussion as to the astral significance
Halley's comet
BRIGGS AND MURDOCH HIG