Imperial Valley press., 1914-02-12
America Doesn't
Need Stimulating
written for the United Prcss)

(Written for the United PrcsS)
New York, Feb 12.-France is be-
ginning to look upon sports as real
asset to the nation which should be
placed on the highest possible plain.
The question of creating a minister
of sports is being discussed This
would mean the establishment Of d
government department devoted to
sports. Many prominent men favor the
idea, and those only luke warm on the
proposition are at least in favor of the
nomination of an under secretary OF
sports. In case the department idea
falls through this may be done. France
has already provided for university
of sports with backing of nearly
$500,000.
Returning from Europe recently A..
G. Spalding declared that the next
country that would have a baseball
league such as are now supported in
this country would be France. He saw
an increasing interest in sports in
that country, predicted that the Amer
leans might not have a walk-away in
the next Olympic games and, We sup
pose, chuckled inwardly at finding a
new sales field for sporting goods. But
laying Spalding's business aside, there
is no doubt that Europe is beginning
to take mere interest in sports Kraen-
zlein, the great Pennsylvania hurdler,
is shaping the Germans for the Olym-
pic games and though England is re-
luctant to admit it, American methods
are going to be seen cropping out in
that country.
Consideration of nlan to appoint
a minister of sports in France sug-
gests whether this country needs such
an official Well, hardly. There is no
doubt that France needs a driving
power behind her sporting interests
and RECOGNITION by the government
that healthy sports furnish one of the
best possible tonics nation can have,
and the making Of real effort to see
that the tonic is furnished should make
thinps boom.
This country does not need stimula-
tion. We have the tonic pouring into
our systems and do not need a gov
ernment official to stir it up. We do
need, however, something better, than
the A. A. u rules as to professionals
and amateurs. While amateur sports
were being built up and were growing
broadening so should the committee
governing sports For instance, the
participation of college baseball play
ers in "summer baseball" is coming
lust as certain as is the Fourth of
July. That question has been batted
hack and forth in dozen different
It has been harped on for some time
cl0 offa h1It
college players are going to be at it
before many more seasons and the
rules will simply have to be amended
not be impaired if they plav summer
baseball.
The value Of sports is more and
more being recognized not only for it's
physical development of the rising
generation, but for the value it is
serving as an exhaust valve for the
excessive steam of those wound up
in the every day battles. Baseball is
probably the best example OF this.
Uncle Sans devotion to the national
game has kept his brain clear and Jug
god up his sense of humor with dashes
of pop, peanuts, fresh air and epthu-
siasm for ball parks. No matter how
bitter the feeling between capital and
labor, Democrats, Republicans or Bull
Mcosers. time can be taken to go out
to ball game where everybody meets
on an equal level; where for a couple
of hours everyone's interest is the
same. They may root for different
teams, but for two hours the only
thing that counts is hitting, fielding
and base running. When the worlds
series rolls around that part of the