New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-14
BE Calm and Wait Is the
Message Which Comes
from Across the Sea.
Or. BERNER WRITES
FOR THE COMMITTEE
No Thought as Yet of Asking To
Be Relieved or of Transferring
Meet to Another Country.
By EDWARD r. Bushnell.

In spite OF TIE war which has In
volved nearly every nation in Europe.
the German Olympic Committee has
not yet given M hope Of holding the
sixth cuadrcrrial Olympic sports at
Berlin in July. 1916 4 communica-
ton asking for information on this
point addressed by the writer through
Dr.. Alvin G. Kracnz.ein, the coach OF
the German Olympic team, but now in
this country. 20 the German committee,
broueh. back this laconic reply:
"Be calm and wait
So confident arc the members of the
German Olympic Committee that sucs
cess will attend German arms and IN
plenty Of time for them to recover
themselves md prepare for the games
on schedule time that they not only
have not asked the international Olym-
pic Council OF which Baron Coubertin,
Of France. is president, 10 relieve them
of the duty OF holding the games, but
they have not even suggested that
America or some other country take
them of their hands.
The inquiry as 10 Germany's plans
and prospects was addressed 70 Lieu
tenant Carl Diem, chairman of the Ger
man Olympic Committee. Lieutenant
Diem is still at the front and no com
municatiou could be had with him. The
German reply, therefore, was sent by
Or. Martin Berner, also p member OF
the committee, who had returned from
the front 10 recuperGte at Berlin from
= wound.
Not only do Or. Berner and his as
soeiates still look forward to holding
the games but they confidently expect
DR.. Krsenzlein, who left Germany on
O two months leave Of absence just
three days before declaration of war
against Russia, TO return and coach the
German athletes. These plans, Of
course, are dependent upon the re-es-
tablishment Of peace throughout Eu-
rope.
American athletic authorities who un-
derstand the immense amount Of work
connected with the management Of
such n set Of games do not believe that
the war will be over as soon as the
Germans think.
The prolongation Of the war or de-
feat for the Germans will seriously in
terfere with the present optimistic out
look Of the German committee. But it
is evident that the German committee
intends TO hold on 70 its commission TO
hold these games until the very end.
An Official Statement.
DR.. Berner explained the condition Of
athletics and the general Olympian
situation at considerable detail, and
since this is the first Official statement
from the German committee portions
of his letter are of unusual interest
and Importance. Among other things
DR.. Berner says:
"The government appropriations, as
well as German sport, are naturally in
fuenced by the great war. We hope,
however. for happy ending of the
war, and to take up with renewed vigor
our work which has already borne such
splendid fruit in the present crisis.
About the fate Of the Olympic
games there is nothing to say at this
time, for the men who are TO make the
decision as 10 where and under what
conditions the Olympic games are to
take place in Berlin are all at the
front. In the meantime, as we Ger
mans say: BE calm and wait Fortu-
nstoly, Baron Coubertin, the president
of the Olympic committee, also shares
these views.
THE United States will surely real
ire the difficulties Of the condition Of
sport and will await patiently our de-
eision. We know that Barlow s.
Weeks as successor TO James Sullivan
will do good work. Il plesses US that
you yourself are still at the disposal
OF the German committee. Your re-
turn does not seem TO US impossible,
as you have here only admirers Of your
art and hardly single opponent. About
the fate OF your friends here / will
mention the following
"The entire immortal Cerrnap Conn
mission is under arms. Lieutenant
Diem was injured in the Arst big
march on Paris. He has recupersted,
however, and has rejoined the army
as an officer OF q brigade STAFF.
Joseph Waiter, serving as a lieu
tenant In q Bsvsrisn troop, also was
wounded, and IS now returning for 3
second time TO the front.
walter Won Reichenau, who at the
beginning of the war was first lieu
tenant, is now captain, and COM
mands a battery in Russian Poland.
IL myself, as the result of wound
have not been able 10 return as yet
but hope to make up for II presently
Captain Rossler is in command Of Q
company somewhere in France, and UP
20 the present time uniniured.
"Mslessa has recently returned from
Poland with q slight wound. Rau snt
Prince Frederick Karl are well snc
cheerful. As for that, Nr. Kohlmey
will give you further accounts OF III,
fate Of the active athletes. Unfortu'
nately, the war has made big gap"
Doubt Berlin Can Hold Games.
Although Americans are dissppoint
ed that the fate of the games is &C
uncertain, there Is nothing for them e
do but to observe the injunction OF
the German commission, TO be calm
and wait. II is quite insonceivsble
that the games should not be held
Should IL eventually prove that neither
Germany nor any neutral country IN
Europe could stage them, the United
States would be glad TO help them
out
There il abundant precedent for hold
ing the games In spite Of war. During
the period that the games were held IN
Greece before the time Of Christ not
even a war was permitted to interfere
with their celebration. II war was
in progress q truce was declared until
the games had been held. truce
would probably be out Of the question
in the present instance, but enough OF
the world is at peace TO hold the games
in neutral country.
The letter Of DR.. Berner indicates
that the reports received In this coun-
try Of the death Of many Of Germsny's
athletic stars are much exaggerated.
For instance, Rsu, Germany's best
sprinter. is In the best Of health and
not dead, as reported. Although DR..
Rerner saws the war has made big
gap In the Olympic athletes, II Is hkeiy