The Washington times., 1917-10-26

strange gods in the last few years, IS
the only institution outside OF the
Big Three" to cancel intercollegiate
contests. All others have stood by
their guns nobly.
Colgate, with a handful OF UNDER
graduates, has q varsity eleven on the
field capable of defeating Cornell.
Rutgers, Pennsylvanis- GeorEsto~n,
Notre Dame. Syracuse, Fordhar,
Washington, and Lee. DArtworth-
any number OF so-called smaller
elevens. they are all doing their bit
to build up young men Into physical
specimens worthy OF army service.
When football was allowed at West
Point and Annapolis, in accordance
with the suggestion OF the War De-
partment, the ground faded away
from beneath the big Three" and
virginia. Their last excuse was gone.
They had no argument It,
The Real RessSnF
Followers Of football are searching
for the real reason why the big
Three" stopped varsity football. 1t is
limited that they were unwilling to
have football unless they could carry
on their past organizations, which
brought to them so many capable
players from the larger preparatory
schools Of the country. 1t is admitted
that these organizations have been
struck q cruel blow.
II Is small excuse for a university
with 1000 students refusing to have
varsity football when a rival with
but 500 or less undergraduates can
place on the field a strong team. One
may point to battalions of students In
military uniform. but that meHns
nothing. Cornell, Annapolis, ana
West Point have always had military
training, with accent on the latter
two Institutions, yet they have al
WAYS been represented on the gridiron
in capAble fashion.
As for Virginia, Washingtonians
are inclined to believe that the Char
lottesvilIe lads have followed the
worst Of advice No blame Is attached
to the rank and f1e of the University
OF Virginia.
Small Squads the Rule.
Small squads are the rule wherever
football is played this season. have
seen 600 men in football uniform at
Harvard, with 200 at New Haven.
The varsity squad, counting the hrst
and second teams, have generally
counted 200 players in October at
Cambridge. These totals have been
cut down, of course. as the season
progressed and useless players were
dropped by the coaches.
But at Georgetown today not more
than thirty.two players are in uni
form. Washington and Jefferson has
no more. Pittsburgh, with probably
the best eleven in the East, has hardly
more than thirty men in its squad.
It is the same story all over the
country where football is being
PLAYED. The coaches must nurse their
frst string men for lack OF substi-
tutes.
Carlisle Good Example.
Carlisle offers a good example to
the big Three" and Virginia in
that it has boys as young as six
teen years Of age IN its squad and no
more than a total OF thirty-five play
ers in uniform. Yet the Indians have
booked games with some of the
strongest teams in the East. No 9TH
er eleven in the country, meeting
teams OF equal caliber, has players
OF such green age.
Football is the best training for
life in the army that is known. 1t
makes for strength of body, mental
sharpness. aggrAss!veness and sacri-
flee. Sacrifice means team work in
football, and no ether sport teaches
this so we'll.
Therefore. II il sincerely to be
hoped that Harvard, Yale. Princeton,
and Virginia viii have learned their