The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-06
GOLF TRAIN OFFER
TO Be S%IDETRACKED
President Of Western AssOcia-
ton Expects No Further
Agitation.
IN ACCORD WITH U. s. &. A..

A~ELLEAIR. Fla. March 5.--Gcorse r.
Batch, president OF the Western Golf AS
ISOLATION, who Is spending the winter
here, made a statement to-day In regard
to the free train offered by the California
Golf Association to transport the middle
Western golfers to Dclmonte next July
which Indicates that the whole Incident
eooo will be closed.
sAe the present time the situation u
ekis," said Mr.. Balch. "Since the annual
meeting Of the Western Golf Association
In Chicago a Ia vote OF the board OF
d1roctors has been taken on a proposal
% sek the California Golf Association TO
withdraw Its offer OF free transportation
to pelmonte. by n vote OF 6 TO 3 II has
been decided to make the request for the
withdrawal of the offer. the request all
ready has been sent TO the California
association by the secretary Of the Vest
ern association. and | expect TO hear
from him at any time th"t tn. offer mas
been withdrawn. do not anticipate any
further trouble or discussion In regard
to the matter and feel sure hat before
nan DAYS have passed II Viii De a
closed incident.
II also should like 10 max clear the
way in which the discussion arose con-
tinued Mr.. Balch. land no dispose o: the
impression which seems TO have gained
considerable currency In 'hc East. that
the United States Golf Association has
attempted TO influence the policy or the
Western Golf Association In regard 20
this matter. Nothing could be further
from the truth.
'Th United States Col: Association Is
in accordance with the position taken by
the directors of the Western Golf Assoc
citation and I am glad of IL. hut We took
the first steps TOWARD the refusal OF ia"
FREQ train. and 1t wac not until We had
taken those steps thar we found tha' Wa
had the warm approval OF III" officials
OF the United States Golf Association.
'Thc whole 'hing began while I was
away from home and in the East last
fall. The Offer to furnish the free train
was made in my absence. | heard OF IL
ffWt when ! returned 20 my home in
Cincinnati. realized at once that II
was an Offer which should I've declined
We refuse to let individual golfers accept
free transportation or board. and II
seems self-evid.nt to me tdat an asspci-
alton should not he allowed 80 do what
m individual canrot.
y felt that to accept II would imper.,
h amateur standing o' every golfer
who should ride on II With That under
standing Of the amateur .Ilr Zoo mind. |
called together the directors Of the Nest
crn Golf Association. explained my views
TO them and after "a fuli discussion ~ tho
matter they voted 10 refuse the offer Of
q free train made 10y tn. California Golf
Association.
Their came tho meeting Ia Chicago.
Many clubs were repre-. crt"d uy proxies
and the Califo-nials had many OF these
proxies. The result was that after &,
prolonged ills, ussiOn in witch F'rauS l..
Wood wa ri. president - the 1. :, q. \,
In his capacity as Il delegate from IL"
Denver Country CLUB t. tho ". -. \
meeting led the fight 10 uphold the de-
clsion OF tho directors, a sort uf COM
promise was reached.
The Western amateur tourney Mas
sent TO Dclmontc and 10y Il separa'r
resolution the directors of the W,stcr1
Golf Association were asked 20 accept
the free train.
Upon consideration Of his request
made by the association the directors
reached the conclusion which ! nave
spoken OF before and by a & To 3 vote
decided to ask the California Golf As
ISOLATION 10 withdraw its offer. That il
how II stands at present aud | think the
whole thing soon will Dbc forgotten.
"As TO the stand taken by the United
Safes Golf Association. | 10 not think
that they seriously CONSIDERED II" mat
ter of the free train urtil their annual
meeting. which was held I'm Chicago tn"
day previous to the Western Golf Assp-
Citations annual meeting, and | am posi-
tive that AT that meeting the sentiment
was practically unarimous against the
Infringement of tho rule barring tn" ac-
ceptance Of free transportation 10y u
player TO induce hin - play AN EXHIBIT
ton match or ii 4 tournament I feel
that the amateur STANDING nt any player
or body % players would be iiuirrilled
by the acceptance of such trau~porta-
~"