The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-09-23
100000 Subsidy From the Gov
eminent Is Promised the
Athletes
ATHLETICS HAVE BECOME
A NATIONAL PASSION
Real College Where Soldiers May
Train For Games Has Been
Established
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SlMMS,
paris Correspondent Of the United
Preos.)


PARIS, Sept 23.-In the hope OF
defeating the United States at the
sixth Olympiad TO be held in Berlin
In 1916. France today put the finish
ing touch Oh the greatest athletic
organization the world has ever seen.
This touch was the definite promise
of 100000 as a government subsidy
to supplement private subscription
for the purpose Of preparing record
team TO DO sent TO the next Olympiad
games
The war office will allow the army
TO be fine-combed for material and
chosen soldiers will be permitted TO
do their time" to large extent, on
cinder tracks and In training quar-
tiers. all expenses paid. Every school
and college must contribute whatever
material they have; athletic clubs are
forming all over France with the one
object In view; To find the men who
can leave behind those wonders
from America"
Athletics have suddenly become the
national passion. The whole country
has been organized into q sort OF
sporting republic inside political
one, individual associations grouped
into departmental ones. department
ri ones into national ones. with an all
powerful Olympic games board over
all and watching all.
President Raymond Polncare. Prime
Minister Louis Barthou. Foreign Min.
lister Pichon, and other statesmen are
backing the agitation In semtofhcial
way and have given binding promises
to see that not only Is every encour-
agement, financial and otherwise. OF.
fered during the formation and train
Ing period, but that the sum OF $40,
900 will be contributed by the govern.
ment In 1916 to take the men to Ber-
lin and. quarter them there. Consider
Paris from Berlin. this sum Is re-
garded as generous.
Frances Olympic games organiza-
ton is an adoption OF the American
one. The various athletic associa-
tions are grouped into a national
body. Then there Is national sports
committee in which every important
sporting club Is represented. Lastly
there Is the French Olympic games
committee, at the head of which ia
Count Clary, who Is also president OF
the national committee. The Oiym-
pic committee is made up Of repre-
sentatives of the declarations COT pos
ing the national association. the lat
ter furnishing the flinds, the former
preparing the final training OF Olym.
piad athletes and attending to all
Olympiad arrangements insofar as
France is concerned
The College Of Athletes at Rheims
Is the first Of a series of training
camps to be established at various
cities throughout the country. A Sec
ond will shortly be begun in Paris.
There are already about 80 men train
Ing at Rheims.
The Rheims college is open to the
public. 500 q month paying all ex-
penses, tuition. board and lodging. !
Army officers pay $50 month, the
government generally footing the
bills. All athletes who have won q
national championship are given q
months scholarship free during which |
time they are put through their PAGES |
to see what stun they're made Of |
n sufficiently promising. they stick. |
and the national committee arranges |
for their expenses.