Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-20
Americans Must Look to Their
Laurels in Time for
1916 Contests.
ALL BRANCHES OF SPORT
PUTTING FORTH EFFORT
Games Never Before ENCOURAGED
Are Now Springing Into Wide
spread Popularity.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star


BERLIN. July 10. 1918.
Americans. who after their triumph in
stockholm last year may think that they
VIII only have to come over here to re-
peat the same thing at the Berlin Olympic
games in 1916 had better look to their
laurels in time, for all Germany is pos
sessed by craze for sport All over the
country thousands and thousands of
young men are patiently drilling almost
every day in all the branches of sport, and
from among all these the most promising
athletes will be chosen a year from Jan
uary next and during the following fifteen
months up to the very time Of the great
international contest all the young men
selected will be absolutely in the hands OF
autocratic trainers who will bring them
as close as possible to absolute perfection.
The expenses of this long training will
willingly be borne by enthusiastic lovers
of sports all over the country.
To a certain extent Germany has al
ways been a sport-loving country. It's
"turnvereins." which are so well known
in every city in America where a German
colony exists, are older than any similar
association In Europe, but Of late the
craze for sports has reached proportions
unknown in any other country in the
world.
Kaiser Encourages Athletics.
This renaissance Of athletics is in the
first place due to the kaiser personally.
who has encouraged sport from the day
of his accession. and his pride was GER
tainly justified when he said In his speech
at regatta the other day that there are
over $1,000 oarsmen in Germany belong
ing to more rowing clubs that in all the
rest of Europe together.
1t is, indeed, true that there Is a colossal
development of sport in Germany. Games
which never before had foothold are
springing into widespread popularity. Polo
is case in point. The sport Is officially
prohibited in the army by order Of the
emperor, who still thinks that the physi-
cal dangers involved for officers are who'll
ly out of proportion to any benefits to be
derived. Yet group of gentleman riders
and other enthusiasts have laid out at
the new garden city" of Frohnau, to
the northeast of Berlin. polo field and
clubhouse. with series Of tennis courts.
golf links, rifle and archery ranges. cro-
quet grounds, and everything else con-
ducive to the cultivation of outdoor life.
Crown Prince Likes Sports.
Apropos Of the imperial edict against
polo In the army, it does not seem to
prevent the crown prince from taking an
interest in the game just now. as~he is very
often seen on the links of the new Berlin
Golf Club in the western part of the city,
where he is constantly adding to the
number of his American acquaintance.
whose freedom and easy manners and
absolute freedom from snobbishness ap-
peal very strongly to him.
Thanks to the frequent visits of the
crown prince, the club is prospecting be-
yond all expectations Of it's founders, and
in 1915 it will have beautiful new links
near Wansee, the favorite resort of fash
ionable Berlin. close to the royal palaces
at Potsdam.
These links are to cost about $4,000 of
which amount nearly one-ti1ird has been
raised without any difficulty. But now
there is a hitch. as the German members
refuse to invest more unless they are
guaranteed that the club shall essentially
be German in character and management
Golf Club la American.
At first sight one might suppose that as
golf is British game, introduced and
taught to the Germans by British and
Americans, who run the club for now
many years. it's further conduct might
properly be left in their hands.
On the other hand, it is reasonable
enough that a club which must depend
port and membership. and is, moreover.
within few miles of the kaiser's Pots
dam residence and the large Potsdam gar
risOn, should in the main be under Ger
man influence and control
The idea is to create club something
after the manner of the American Coun-
try Club. with sleeping accommodation
for the week end and tea-time attractions
for visitors from Berlin.
The kaiser's only daughter Princess
Victoria Louise, lately married to Duke
Ernest Augustus of Brunswick, is pass
ing her honeymoon in way that strongly
appeals to the German mind, and particu-
larly so because, to the ordinary citizens
imagination. kaisers daughter neces-
sarily lives and acts and consequently
gets through her honeymoon in a fashion
altogether different from their own. Moth
ing OF the sort, it appears. The newly
married pair are travelling in south Ger
many with the dukes adjutant and his
young wife in a perfectly simple and I'M
ostentatious tourist style