The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-06

at Forest Hills, l.. l. The battle to take
the tournament away from Newport to
the West side Tennis club of Forest
Hills. L. l., which has commanded the
entire attention OF the tennis world for
many weeks past resulted In success
when the matter was put to a vote last
night at tho annual meeting of the
United states National Lawn Tennis AS
ISOLATION in the Waldorf-Astoria The
vote was 129 to l1s
The arguments OF the partisans for
New York and Newport developed all
7he bitterness eXpected-and some that
was not expected. The debate began in
an informal sort of way at the dinner
which was held during intermission be-
tween the afternoon and night sessions OF
the meeting. and then became a running
fight that lasted until nearly midnight.
when the vote finally was announced.
Though most Of the ballots of out OF
town clubs were cast by proxy, the at
tendance was the largest in the history
Of u. s. n. l.. r A meetings
The tournament has been held at the
Casino In Newport for thirty-four years.
and when the players committee, headed
by Karl Behr. started the fight to take
IL away a few months ago little hope
was held out by even the most sangulue
friends OF the West side Tennis Club
that 1t would come here. That they
fought the fight well liz attested by the
result. which was in doubt until the last
ballot had been counted. After it was
announced by Robert II. Wrenn, presi-
dent OF the association. that New York
had won the fight. a motion was made
to make the selection unanimous and
1t was seconded without a murmur.
The victory OF the New York con-
big events will be played on the West
Side courts-the National All Corners
Singles Championship Tournament, as
the classic is called the challenge round
Of the national championship doubles
and the national interscholastc tourna-
ment.
There came very near to being an
other and unlocked for fight before the
closing Of the meeting, and as "A matter
OF fact the last of IL has not been heard
yet l.. II. Waidner of Chicago. in re-
porting on the sectional doubles. recon-
mended that more sections be admitted
TO the competition. In his original re-
port he suggested that the number of
sections be raised from four to eight.
making all of the additions in the West.
The Middle Atlantic section in which
New York belongs, Immediately made
kick that IT would be unfair to have
the Middle Atlantic. Middle States and
New England playing in one tournament
while the Westerners were having seven
separate ones.
II was pointed out that there are
more clubs and players in the Middle
Atlantic than in any two of the West
ern sections, that the same was true OF
New England and that the Middle States
was close behind Should these three be
made into one section for the sectional
doubles It would mean that about half
OF the players OF the country would he
competing in one tournament while the
others would have smaller tournaments
in their own sections.
This would have been mended all
right by allowing each Of the ten sec
tions to hold doubles of their own as
prerequisites for playing in the national
championship, but there was fly In
the ointment The sore spot was the
Longwood Cricket Club OF Boston, for II
the sections were split up 1t would
mean that all the New York tennis
players would not compete In the Long
wood tourney and Longwood would be
very much injured. Palmer T., Presbrey,
representing the Longwood club, was
very much put out over this, and lost
sight of the good II might do the club
that would get the tourney In the injury
that II would do his own organization.
The matter finally was put In the hands
OF the executive committee with power
TO act. and it Is possible that the three
Eastern sections will be kept united.
Henry w. Slocum opened the evening
session with motion that the tourna-
ment be given To the club which should
get the greater number OF votes and
followed this with a speech at some
length telling why II should stay In
Newport He interspersed many little
bits of sarcasm into his talk and con-
graduated Karl II. Behr and Lyle Il.
Mahan, calling them the voice of the
- IL -
the hand. He pointed out that of the
four officers duly elected by the mem
bers of the national association and
the sixteen members OF the executive
committee, a total OF seventeen favored
Newport, one favored tho West Side
Club. one was not heard from, and one
was not to be heard from, inasmuch as
ne was the secretary of the West Side
Tennis Club.
This was brought out TO show that
where the leaders went the crowd
should follow, He explained that the
Casino had gone to a great deal OF ex-
pense i'm renovating the grounds ex-
pressly for the national tourname into
which exception was talSen-and said
that II would be stain on the honor
able record of the association TO take
the tournament away from Newport
after the Casino management had spent
large sum on new courts He, like
the other Newport partisans who fol-
lowed him, put great weight on senti-
ment
Karl IT, Behr answered Slocum in his
usual fiery manner and was greatly ac-
claimed when he stated that the tourna-
ment belonged mot to the West Side
club, not to the Casino nor any other
club, not to the tournament player, but
10 the large mass OF non-tournament
players, the supporters and lovers OF
the game" He was vehement in his
protests against the varicolored para
soils and dresses walking up and dowr
and talking loudly" Holcombe Ware
was the next speaker and stated tina
he was not so much in favor OF tn,
West Side Club as he was against New
port and expressed the hope that tn,
tournament would be thrown open Il
bids from various cities throughout tn,
country.
Richard Norris Williams, the mar
who beat Mclaughlin, made a few bre
Eamarks after receiving a great ovation
==sS cordially roasted the West sid,
Club playing conditions. Harold II
L Hackett, captain OF the 1918 victoriou
Davis cup team. followed Williams anC
made the hit OF the evening az a speech
maker. According to himself, II wa
the first time In his career OF twent,
years that he had addressed the meet
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