Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-06
MICHIGAN NOT
WANTED BACK
Chicago Dean and Editor
Not in Favor of Return
of Wolverines.

! Chicago, Jan. 6.-James Weber
Linn fthe University of Chicago.
editor of the Alumni Magazine. does
not want to see the University Of
Michigan back in the Big Nine con-
ference. He gives his views editorial
ly in the January issue, which is of
the press today. Dean Linns state
ment follows:
There is recent new paper talk
| about the return Of Michigan to the
conference. The University of Michi-
have sent out hundreds Of cards ask
ing, what is the matter with ath-
letics at Michigan?" Interest In
! Michigan football is said to be de-
creasing, other sports are not self
supporting, and SO on. It's a sad
story. The only difficulty is in believ-
Ing it.
OF course Michigan alumni in Chi
cago would like to have Michigan
back in the conference, and they are
numerous and influential Equally, of
ular competition would like to see the
University of Michigan in the har-
ness.
With apologies to H. O. Page, 10.
that would make four big" universi-
ties michigan. Minnesota, Wiscon-
sin and Illinois) in this conference
big. that is, from the athletics point
Of view. which means having a large
accessible undergraduate attendance.
With Yost and Williams, and Zupp-
Ike probably, and Wilmington possible,
in charge of squads of eighty or nine
ty men each, what football teams in
competition ought to produce-semi-
! finals and finals for the championship
every year, with the colleges having
smaller graduate attendance occasion
ally nipping in. but generally content
to watch the giants struggle. Every
sporting editor west of the Alleghen-
les must rub his hands at the pros
pect.
But now let the editor speak per-
sonally and without committing a
single other alumnus. He hopes it
won't happen. For Michigan he has
the highest respect. In the honesty
and decency of Michigan athletics he
heartily believes. Some of the men
Michigan athletics are among his best
friends.
But the conferences. as an institu-
tion merely a necessary evil. 1t was
established to check other growing
evils, and it has partially succeeded.
But in itself it actually increased, one
fancies. at least it has done nothing
to lessen, the very worst evil of all,
the undergraduate bitterness and
scorn that is engendered by athletic
competition.
You should hear what the North
western sophomore or senior has to
say about the Chicago or Illinois un-
dergraduates. whom he has never
seen or spoken to; what the decent,
good hearted Illinois student honestly
believes about conditions at Chicago
and Northwestern; what rot the Chi
cago boy will listen to concerning
Northwestern or Illinois practices and
ideals.
Why do they believe these things?
Because Of intercollegiate competition
in athletics. The victors are big
guns" and despise the vanquished.
and believe the victors crooked. 1t
sail ridiculous, but it leaves an in
delible impression.
And what chances have the Chi
cago graduate schools, the law school,
the medical school. to get the strong
men OF the other conference colleges
where such an attitude prevails? The
Michigan men and women, on the 9TH
er hand are beginning to come in.
The old belief at Ann Arbor that Chi
cago men had horns and a tail is dy-
ing out. But just as surely as Michi-
gan comes back into the conference
that belief will revive under competi-
ton. and the memory of a famous
for the chance to do good to a good
man. That is the way it seems to this
editor, and he hopes, therefore, that
Michigan will live long, prosper and
lick Pennsylvania-and stay out of
the conference.