East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-07-30
Olympic Commissioner Tells of Les
sons Learned at Stockholm;
Chartered ship Not Success.

London. - Commissioner sullivan,
who landed from the steamer Finland
with the American athletes at Dover,
gave the correspondent of the Inter
national News Service the following
statement concerning the plans for
raising funds for the next Olympiad.
LAS soon as | return to America, ="
he said. Il intend 70 organize the
American olympic association, which
shall 40 away with the necessity Of
appealing to citizens to contribute
funds for the purpose of sending a
team TO the next Olympiad. 4 mem
bership fee of So will be charged an
nually and with membership will go
a distinctive button. Each year a
different button will be used, show
ing how many years each member
has contributed to the funds of the
society.
Will Derray Expenses.
Il believe that in this way in view
of the great success of the American
team at Stockholm. We can get at
least 100000 members and thus in
sure a fund which will not only take
the team to Berlin but will also pay
all preliminary expenses of training
leaving a comfortable sum in the
treasury and obviating the necessity
of calling upon the government or
any other sources for aid. This move
has been decided upon by the ANA
teur Athletic association, and l have
been delegated to get it under way
immediately
I'VE are greatly pleased at the out
come of the Stockholm meet, but it
has taught US several lessons-first,
that at the International committee
meeting 10 be held in Paris within
two years we must formulate a stand
ard OF events for the Olympiads, thus
doing away with allowing the coun-
Srv in which the meeting is held to
ep,er events in which other nations
ito not compete and alloing the run
ming up of an enormous number of
points which should not be consider
ed in the Olympic games.
For instance, Sweden has now
more points than the United States
and this is all nonsense when the pro-
Crane states that the opening and
closing of the Olympic games are for
contests in the stadium only and not
for yachting, riding and what not held
before and after the regular athletic
program, in which We triumphed oY-
erwhelmingly
I'VE must have no more such nom
sense. or at Berlin we may be asked
to enter button-throwing or egg
breaking contests in order to keep up
our points.
Another thing We have learned is
to separate the social side meets from
athletics. BY this I mean there must
be no more crossing on chartered lin
ers with a society crowd on board. II
looks fine. I limit. but there has been
constant friction among the athletes;
and, besides this. five weeks is too
long for the athletes TO live on ship
board. The next time we will go on
a fast ship and secure a training
ground in Berlin and live in proper
quarters. Then society may come
when it gets ready"
Thorpe Throws Down" Kink.
On the voyage of the Finland to
Dover it was learned that on the day
of leaving port the king of Sweden
sent an equerry on board to take
JAMES Thorpe. the half-breed Indian
who won the pentathion and decath-
Ion TO the royal palace and that
Thorpe refused to go.
This was probably the first time in
histOry that an American or any one
else has refused a royal command Of
this character. especially as it was
reported that the king wished to give
Thorpe q decoration for his wonder
tul work in winning both events
which stamped him as the greatest all
around athlete in the world.