Bisbee daily review., 1914-12-06
1916 OLYMPIC GAMES
 MAY BE ABANDONED
 ON ACCOUNT OF WAR
Fifteen of the Twenty-Seven Ma tions Which Competed in 1912 Are Now Fighting and Athletics Are Demoralized.

NEW YORK, Dec. 5-American ath- letes and trainers returning from Eu- rope are almost unanimous ln express ing opinion that the Olympic games scheduled for Belin in 1916 will in all probability have to be aban- doned as a result of the war. A period Of eighteen months stretches between the present and the day set for the opening of he international meet and much may yet be accomplished by the olympic committee in a year and a half. There is already evidence Of sentiment in favor of transferring the game to this country or some Euro pean nation not involved in the war It is not the site of the contests as much as the condition and number of contestants that causes those best in formed on the situation to doubt the possibility of successful meet in 1916
 in the Olympic games of 1912 there were twenty seven nations repre-. sented at Stocskholm. The complete entry list showed 4,2S1 athletes en- rolled and the total entry 1867. Ol this number 3.2S2 athletes competed for an aggregate entry of 4,742. To- day fifteen fthe twenty-seven nations and colonies. whose athletes assem. bled at Stockholm are at war and still others may join the conflict These nations contributed 1,121 atheltes to games in the following order: Great Britain and colonies, 376; Germany 1S5; Russia, ITS; France. 1O2: Hun gary, 137; Austria, 9S Belgium, 39: Japan. Turkey, and Servia two each
 That these nations, even though peace is declared in the meantime cannot approach in number or athletic calibre these entries in 1916 is gener. ally accepted by those who have wit. nessed the physical result of the war to date Albert F. Copeland. Austria $ OHnmic trainer and Alvin Kraen zlein, Chief of the Gerpan Staff of athletic instruction, have both fa turned to this country on an indefi mite leave O fabsence Copeland in discussing the outlook said
 Personally do not think the Olym. pic Games scheduled to be held in Berlin in 1916 will take place, even if the war does not last longer than this winter Other nations as we'll as 0Austria and Gefmany have suffered from the loss of their best men in the track and field work
 There is not much interest in the games in Berlin. The great stadium has been closed since the declaration of war. The grounds and grandstand of the surrounding race track ar, being used as a hospital for couva lescent soldiers"
 Conceding that the meet is held either in America or some neutra European country the result can b, forecast as decisive victory for the United States providing that thc en tries of this country are made upor the same scale as in former games Although eighth iu total number O diplomas won scoring sixty to Swed on 91 This included all forms O Olympic sport comprising a program of thirteen competitive features I'm United States was not repres sented iI rowing football, gymnastics an, yachting yet finished second on
 point basis with l2i points to swed ems 136. Great Britain was thir with 76 Finland fourth with 52 an, Germany firth with 47 Even as or timistlc an American athletic enthus fast as James F. Sullivan was. he con ceded just before his death, that un der normal conditions the Unite States could not hope to win SO de cisively in 1916 With Sweden am Finland as the only formidable atl letic nations not handicapped by tu strain and drain of the war; ther could be, however but one victor the Olympic Games are held in lslt
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