The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-03-02
ARMY OFFICERS IN
DEFENSE OF
RACING
DECLARE LAW AGAINST SPORT
WOULD BE A
CALAMITY


nesday afternoon when some of the
most distinguished officers in the
United States army appeared before
the judicial proceedings committee
CT the state senate in opposition
to the anti-betting bill now pend
ing in the legislature, and declared
that the enactment of any law
which would result in the abandon
ment of the sport in Maryland
would be a calamity.
The officers who attended the
hearing were Gen. Andrew Hero of
the 154th artillery brigade; his ad-
jatant, Maj. G. A. Taylor; Col. Ray
mond w. Briggs of the 311th field
artillery; his aide. Lieut.. William
Cochran, and Maj. c. B. Wing and
Capt. A. A. Peters, both of the en-
gineer corps.
General Hero attended as the
personal representative of Briga-
dier-General Nicholson, commander
OF Camp Meade, and one of the
most famous horsemen in the army.
General Hero made one of the
principal addresses before the COM
mittee. Others who spoke were
Colonel Briggs, Major Wing, J.. H.
Anderson, O,Neill Sewer, H. G. Bed
we'll, who trains the horses of Com
mander J.. X. l.. Ross of the Brit
ish army, and DR.. Henry ]. McCar-
thy, a noted veterinarian. Several
OF the moralists who are advocat-
ing the anti-betting bill were on
hand and endeavored to heckle the
speakers, but without success.
1t was the unanimous opinion
Of the army officers and others who
spoke in favor of racing that moth
ing should be done at this time
that might in any way result in dis
couraging the breeding of thorough
breds when the army needs every
horse it can get, especially as
thoroughbreds and thoroughbred
crosses have shown themselves to
be the most satisfactory horses
known for military purposes.
Arguing that only through racing
can the fitness of horses for breed
ing purposes be determined, n of
the speakers declared that any per-
son who at this time undertakes to
put an end to racing in Maryland
comes close to being unpatriotic.
General Hero, after stating that
he had come to Annapolis at the
request Of General Nicholson, de-
clared that he could not say a bet
ter word for the thoroughbred than
to quote the nan he represented.
General Nicholson said to me a
few days ago." said General Hero.
that the effect on the horse world
of the abolition of racing would be
about the same as would be the ef-
feet on the wheat crop of killing off
all the people in the United States"
General Hero then went on to say
that the abolition of racing would
certainly dim the military efficiency
of the country. Thereafter he told
what Germany, France and other
foreign countries have done in the
way of encouraging the racing of
thoroughbred horses for no other
purpose than to make sure of having
sufficient remOunts for their armies.
Colonel Briggs began his address
by saying that he was just back
from France, where he had been the
chief of the remount service. He
had been stationed, he said, at the
remount depot of the French army
just outside of Paris, where he had
been more impressed than ever with
the real meaning and value of the
thoroughbred to the English and
French armies as developed by rae
ing in England and France.
Mr.. Anderson, as did all Of the
other speakers, made a splendid de-
Tense of racing, rehearsing much of
the history of the sport in this state.
Mr.. Sewer seemed to impress the
committeeman profoundly when he
said that, whereas from 8 to "a per
cent of the cold-blooded horses
shipped to Europe for military pur-
poses had died en- route. a shipment
of thoroughbred crosses was made
from Montana to France without the
loss of a single horse.
The impression here Is that the
legislature is going to find it diff
cult to get around the arguments adj
vanced by the army officers In sup
port of racing. The moralists have
argued the abolition of racing, be-
cause the country is at war. and they
thought they had struck the real
chord. The officers who testified be-