The Washington herald., 1914-08-09
WAR MAY STOP
OLYMPIC GAMES
Con6scations of European
Countries Likely to Prevent
Berlin Contest in 1916.
MAKING FUTURE PLANS
Amateur Athletic Union Officials Are
Seriously Thinking of Placing
Meet in Open County.

Doubt now exists in amateur athletic
| circles about the Olympics games being
held in Berlin. Germany, in 1916. and the
/ A. A. L. officials of this country ar,
seriously thinking Of formulating PLAN
| for a set of games in this country opeT
TO the world to take the place Of the
olympics.
The conditions abroad at present ha.
walked up the officials OF this country
and only recently the national officials OF
the Amateur Athletic Union met and in
| formally discussed the advisability OF
making plans for the future.
They believe that six months of war
will upset all the plans of the foreign
organizations and SO many sterling ath-
letes will be pressed into service in the
various armies which will be involved in
war, there will be great dearth of ma
terial when the time approaches for the
games. Then the disturbance in Europe
may mean the immediate discontinuance
of the work now going on on the stadium
! in Berlin.
War Playing Havoc.
1t is felt the war will play havoc with
| the plans mapped out for 1916 and while
two years seems a long way to look
ahead, it is a short time to prepare for
set Of games such as the Olympics. The
effect of the war will be felt and soon for
several years after, and the American
amateur body deems II wise to arrange
so that a substitute set of games will be
held in the event OF the Berlin games be-
ing given up.
Another meeting will be held in a short
time. The plan looks good to the anna
teur body and the games, If arranged
will be classified as worlds championship
events. All the countries in the world
will be invited to send representatives to
compete.
The business depression is such at the
present time that interest in the Olym-
pics is at a standstill, and efforts to
raise fund for the purpose Of preparing
athletes for the 1916 Olympics has practi-
cally been abandoned.
Al LII. jr., president of the A. A. U.
Of America, does not like the aspect of
things abroad for international athletics
Speaking of the 1916 Olympic meet he
said:
The outlook is not bright at an for
the Berlin meet War preparations
abroad have made every one forget ath-
letics, and I have miseivings about the
scheduled meet for 1916. II the countries
involved take the field, many of the ath-
letes who planned to participate in the
olympics are likely to be either killed
or manned in the battles which will en-
sue, and the present wealth of athletic
material in Europe will be greatly re-
duced.
Then there is the aftermath. The
countries which will participate in the
destruction Of one another will not be
rehabilitated for several years. and dur
ing that time athletics will not receive
much consideration. All will be in an
Impoverished condition. and athletic
games Of every description must suffer in
consequence.
For these reasons the national body of
this country proposes to do something TO
foster athletics In 1916. SO that we will at
least have a substitute set of games il
this unfortunate strife continues. II we
agree to hold a meet here, in all proba-
bility it will be conducted in Chicago"