The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-23
SAYS ATHLETICS WILL
 HELP NATIONAL DEFENSE

To the Sporting Editor:
 The undersigned begs to make a contribution with special reference to the value of properly conducted anna steur athletics, to the discussion now going on in press and the Congress as to how the nation shall best prepare to defend itself in case of invasion by a. foreign foe There are in the state of Connecticut, venture to say, at least a, hundred thousand young men who are of the right age, eighteen to Twenty-Five years. in a military sense, to do the work required of soldiers The al1-imp ortant question of the actual value of these young men to the state and the nation under such circumstances has to do with their physical fitness, their intelligence and their ability to get into shape quickly in matters of discipline. Here is where amateur athletics systemati- cally carried on can be made, I be- Heve, of the greatset use.
 do not mean the ability of a young fellow to go out and do a hundred yards in a, fifth of a second over ten seconds, or a. half mile under two min utes, or to throw the>javelin a hun dr-ed and sixty feet, the twelve-pound shot forty eight feet, Tor to be a star performer in anything like that. Of course, that would count in attracting and encouraging others. mean chiefly track and field games pro- noted in such a. way, as they could be, that novices and the average young men of the state would find in them stimu1ous and encouragement by winning prizes. praise and honors. so that by an alliance of clubs throughout the state, or however it might be, we could get, in short or der. not less than fifteen to twenty thousand young men having a par in such open air sports and game mostly in the eight or nine month of the spring, summer and fall. Thes young men would be subject to disc: pl1ne, and this would be 8. great helI
 They would have the best induce ments to take care of and develo3 themselves physically. No young fel low engaged in amateur athletics ca hope to amount to much, if he dis s1pates or engages in physical ex eesses of any sort. He must cut ou smoking, as a rule, care for his health get plenty of sleep. eat good food practice temperance, and everythin like that.
 The fact that this is not thrus5 down his throat, so to speak, and h wants to do it himself, is a very grea advantage. Ten thousand young me- engaged in systematic amateur. ath IeticS under these conditions meaI t1ldI nuInDer or more young men ir arms within a. few days, every las one of them, I have no doubt, f Japan or any other nation dared t. put it's foot on our shores. The would be ready for the business i11 hand and worth, every one of them at least two or more of the youne fellows selected in hap-haard, guess work way. As to their ability to shoot, it would be a, simple matter te add a, shooting competition in connec- ton with the usual track and field games.
 No such condition exists, in my opinion, today to 8 satisfactory de- gree among the young men of Con-. necticut. Through the desire to help young men and cooperation from many prominent business men of New Haven, have had the privilege for the past Several years of developing up-to-aateA amateur athletics along advanced lines for the young men of this city and 8 number of other young men throughout the state who on their request have come in with us as of the New Haven Amateur athletes.
 From these young men and a few of their associates, I could furnish, am, sure, in a few days at least three