New-York tribune., 1918-06-04
HarmonyReiigns
In Soccer Fold
For F irst ime
By c. A. ! .ovett

lhere is something new under the
iooeoail sun. 1t is harmony within the
ranks of the United States Football
association, the controlling body of
soccer football in the United States.
Inc NTH annual meeting of the organ
lza1lon, at the William Penn Hotel.
f't'soursh, Pa, two weeks hence prom
Uses 70 be a placid affair-so much so.
indeed, that delegates to the National
council from the more remote sections
or the country for the first time are
content to name proxies.
10 Pioneers in the legislative end of
'ne kicking sport this condition NAV
seem wellnigh unbelievable. For. to
state the bald truth, earlier meetings
OF the national body have been little
oetter than knock down and -drar-out
aliairs. Inc most intricate political
lnan@uvring has been resorted to in
some some quarters. There has been vote
oaieeilhg lhere has been double
crossing. The history Of the govern
ment of the game embraces a1so M
iaculterated, middle-age violence. There
nave been some creditable actions
some calm and collected periods tn he
sure, but for the most part u. S. F A,
aHalrs IN the past have been odorifer-
Gus.
The writer deals kindly and know
i,nely IN referring to the subject. For
ne IS OF the U. S. F. A. Council. has
oa1oied IN its politics, laughed and
signed, alternately, at its crudties and
labored long for the betterment of the
games government.
Major Manning Leads.
Men of prominence in the worlds
affairs have sacrificed much for the
aoVa,ncement of the association sport
III this country. Probably most con.
spicuous of these is DR.. G. Randolph
Manning of New York City, the first
president of the national organization
Who now is a surgeon major at Camp
Custer, Battle Greek, Mich. ALTHOUGH
the victim of political manipulation
and worse-he has endured and has
been IN large measure responsible for
the evolution of the governing end of
soccer here to the point where the
United States Football Association now
ranks as one of the strongest and most
respected component parts of the Fed
GRAFTON Internationale de Football AS
sociations. And Major Manning prob
ably is the dominating figure in u. S
F. A. affairs.
The governing body has found its
proper plane. Widespread progress by
the great fall-to-spring pastime will
follow in natural sequence. After years
OF hubbub and distraction and rotten
ness there has come saneness and gen
eral cooperation and cleanly Legislative
and administrative activities.
To bring about the present whole
some state of affairs in association
football it has been necessary to rele-
gate-most likely to railroad-into OBJ
scurity various obstructionists and
trouble makers. This element, widely
scattered over the country, spent its
expiring breath as unit in an effort
last fall to bring into being a Federal
league of soccer. The movement
picked up crumbs of encouragement
here and there and for brief period
there were some indications that a
secession movement would be gotten
under way, taking fewer than half a
dozen state or district associations
away from the national organization
with which they are affiliated, but
reaching out into virgin football terri
tory for added strength. Probably the
portentous conditions of war year