Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-29
COLLEGE MEN TO
BOOM ATHLETICS
Aiding sports IS Best Way to Aid Gov
eminent In Crisis, Sentiment at
Meeting.
BIG SCHOOLS DISSENT
Harvard. Yale and Princeton YIN MOI
Resume intercollegiate tom-
petition in 1915.

New York, Dec. 291--Brimful OF en-
thusiasm for the continuance OF an
kinds OF sports as the greatest a'd
fine college can give the government
in these times, the National Colle-
giafe Athletic association, at It's an
nual convention yesterday, DECIDED 10
encourage intercollegiate compeu-
ton and interest as many students
az possible in physical training. Ihe
organization represents ia colleges
and universities in every part OF the
United States.
The keynote Of all the speech-mak-
ing was to keep up interest IN all
kinds Of sports, not only these they
have been following but also boxing,
rife shooting and wrestling. Lieu
tenant Colonel Palmer E. Pierce,
the president of the organization,
who is a member of more than one
7 of the important boards at Washing
tho: President W. H. 2. Faunce OF
Brown, and all the other speakers
urged the colleges to keep up ath-
! letic activity. so they will De able
| to fill in the ranks OF young Ameri-
can manhood. Secretary of War
| Baker and Secretary Daniels of the
navy sent messages advising the col
/ Ieges to keep athletics alive.
! Nearly every college in the country,
with the exception of Harvard. Yale
and Princeton. viii keep up intercol-
/ legiate competition. Messages from
Harvard and Yale expressed the senti-
ment that great athletic carnivals are
out of place in these times. They
| heartily agree with the organization,
however, in keeping up spirited COM
| petition. They will give their attention
to military training and wider par
ticipation in sports.
Walter Camp Of Yale who is director
Of athletic activities at the naval sta
lions and aviation camps, asked the
colleges to release all their trainers
for duty at the aviation schools. Mr.
Camp pointed out the Importance OF
having the country's flyers physically
fit and showed that in no way could
they be kept in such fine trim as under
the guidance of such men as Booch
Donovan Johnny Mack, Lawson Rob
eTtson and other trainers. Mr.. Camp
said that % trainers We're needed and
that provision would be made to take
care Of their salaries IL the colleges
would release them MIR. Camp stated
that the experience of fiers who had
been over the allied lines for the past
three years showed that many of the
accidents had occurred to aviatOrs who
were physically unfit The nature Of
the work calls for the finest kind oil
physical action The men behind q
machine gun in the army and navy are
standing on their feet, but the air mar
is strapped in at the waist He is in q
confined position all the time and his
duties require an unusual suppleness
Of body
Mr. Camp stated that every military
aviator who had had from 100 to 20C
hours Of flying cost q minimum Of
S1.50 for every minute OF flying and a
total of from $4,000 to $4,000 fol-
his training. When he goes into the
air to fight he and his machine ant
equipment represented an investment
Of $4,000 The best OF care should
be taken Of the aviators," said Mr.
Camp.
The athletic systems of the college.
: and high schools of the country were
highly praised by both Secretary O
War Baker and Secretary Of the Nav
Daniels in thir communications t.
the convention.
+. Secretary of War Bakers letter an
. nounced that congress would be asked
to authorize the use of reserve officer,
and other qualified men to establish
military training at ali the colleges
DR.. Joseph E. Raycroft of Princeton
. a member of the war department com
mission on training camp activities
stated that at one camp there wer,
i 1850 contestants in one cross-countr,
t run, all these barriers being from on,
+, regiment. He stated that before tn,
: weather became too cold there hat
t been as many as 5000 men in swim
!. ming at one of the camps at one time
He cited another camp where a
: football games were played in on
afternoon.
~ ID @ an ~ srryy