New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-21
PEEWSH BR|TONS Glide
j. S. OLYMPIC V|CTORS
Stung by Defeats at Stockholm,
the English Public SCOldS and
Talks of "NObIe Ideals"
AMERICAN CHEERS FUNNY
Constant Repetition Got on
Everybody's Nerves." One
Paper Declares-Might
"Pollute" Germany.
rBy Cable to The TrIbure.I

tBy Cable to The TrbureI
London, July 20.-Englshmen are
finding 1t difficult to accept with any
degree Of equanimity the British fall
ures in the Olympic games. The pub
lie started with the idea that it would
lie unnecessary for their athletes to
train, and that through the mere fact
Il being English they would sweep
he boards and the men Of other ma
lions would give up without effort
when they found themselves compel
ng against Englishmen.
Now that the events have proved
the falsity Of this theory. the English
IRE falling back on faultfnding, which
8 directed chiefly against the Ameri-
ans, OF course, as the United States
heads the list of winners at Stock
holm, and high sounding, but none the
less silly. talk about the noble ideals
IF English sport, I'm which those who
complain would have It believed that
the last thoughts of the British were
10 play LilG game " W III
For the last fortnight there has been
4 veritable orgy of the favorite Eng
Ash pastime of writing letters to the
newspapers, and the burden Of 80 per
cent Of them has been that those hor-
rible Americans have been unfair
again-they won events in Stockholm
in which Englishmen were entered.
No one has found n valid Indictment
against the Americans except that
they were thoroughly trained and the
team well organized.
Complain of American Cheers
Another ground Of complaint has
been that the Americans cheered their
victors Some Stockholm dispatches
complained that the American cheer
Ing was excruciatingly funny. The
Times" one morning gave column to
a description of the Marathon race
and told of "the hysterical shrieks Of
10y from twenty thousand spectators
when the South Africans came In first.
Every Briton in the stadium "held MS
breath on the announcement that
runner was in sight for fear he might
prove to be an American"
In the next column was a dispatch
complaining that the Americans were
winning most of the athletic events,
and a large part Of 1t was devoted to
"the American claque." Constant repe-
tition Of American cheers, II said, was
getting on everybodys nerves. 1t seemed
that II had got on British nerves to such
an extent that they tried TO organize
a cheering section of their own, but
the attempt failed The article wound
UP with the statement that the En-
peror might refuse to allow the next
games TO be held in Berlin, because
he didn't want the air Of Germany
polluted with American cheers for
their victorious representatives.
OF course, there have been some
riters who have drawn the lesson
II the necessity of preparation if Eng
fish athletes are to win In the future.
These writer's frankly stated that the
Americans won on their merits, while
the English lost through lack of train
ing and organization; but great preju-
dice Is seen in the querulousness aris-
ing from the American victories.
An American Objects.
The English papers have been so
full Of fault6nding publications that
at last they have drawn a reply from
an American. who writes to THE Pail
Mall Gazette" that the. constant slight
in, references to America and Ameri-
ca in English newspapers will soon
des,. oy the good feeling between the
nations. Americans, he says. cannot
see themselves constantly sighted and
!nsulted by the English press and have
any great faith in the sincerity OF
hands across the sea"
4 couple of days ago Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle wrote brief letter 10
"The Times" in which he said that
the results at Stockholm showed the
necessity of England's waking up to
that il the international
games are worth going into they are
worth making serious preparations TO
win. He advised that in the next
games the British team should repre-
sent the empire and not be divided
into sections.
"The Times" took rather broad
hint. and on Friday had special ar
ticle from Stockholm in which the
American athletes received full credit
for their training and organization,
without peevish complaints because
they won. England was advised to
take the lesson TO heart before the
next games we're held. In the same
issue was an editorial giving the same
advice and saying IL is not at all incom-
patiblc to keep the spirit OF true sport
and at the same time to play the game
to win.
The editorial ends: 1.-THE next Olympic
games will be held four years hence
at Berlin. Let us enter them as the
United Empire and let us do our best
as sportsmen TO win"