The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-30
American Sport Faces a
 Successful Year in 1918
Continued from Page onc)

the various sporting interests of this country may bear to the serious side of life and the uplifting of national stand ards. Foremost among these questions will be that of racing. Will the com munity approve of and indorse the rac- ing of horses on the various courses of this country in 1918 and will it be for the best interests of the people? To the first query We answer without hesitation in the affirmative. and we may point with confidence to the example in this respect set by the people of Great Britain and France. Racing properly conducted has been countenanced and supported by the best clements of these two nations and We are certain that such will be the case with racing here as it Is at present carried on. To the second query, which is a different and perhaps more inn poinant one, we also answer strongly in the affirmative.
 For over 150 years the thoroughbred horse. so-called, has been the chief ele- ment in breeding animals of courage, substance. general utility and value: from that strain comes not only the race horse of today, but the magnificent animal known as the American trotter, for there is no important animal of this typical American breed of horse that will not trace his pedigree in a greater or less degree to the thoroughbred.
 btiliHu tue tHOTOuSHDTeQ IS the AraD blood, with it's long history of wonder ful endurance, great performance and many attractive and useful qualities
 The racing of the thoroughbred horse enables the breeder frequently to select the best among the animals which he may have bred and trained. By the de- velopment of the Attest therefore, the strain of blood constantly is improved and the quality is elevated. Without racing 1t is true that much intelligent breeding still would be carried on, but it would not be brought to so logical a conclusion nor would the value of the animal be comparable in any degree with the value placed on him today A cafe- ful record of what the English horse has done on the plains of France for the
 last three years is the strongest possi- ble indorsement of the above statemett and the wonderful batteries of light arr tilery which have been horsed by ani- mals of splendid breeding bear earnest testimony to the power of this strain for army work.
 We may go further and say that the cavalry horse, both of France and Eng land, claims it's strength and endurance largely from the animal selected either from racing stables in Great Britain or France or from the progeny of animals who in their day have been raced. It is well known that the Italian government and the Austrian govern ment in their wonderful breeding farms for cavalry horses have long recognized and availed of this fact Tn our own country we have failed to do it justice, partly because of the utility of the trot- ting horse and partly because we were a nation without a standing army of any great numerical strength; but this latter condition is changing and we shall soon know and feel that the government is seeking for the class of horse of high quality great endurance and able to do spro' onged service
 We fully believe that this will be impressed upon the minds of horse breeders throughout the land and that