Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-27
MONEY NEEDED
FOR Fl. OMAHA
ATHLETIC FUND
Will Be Great Need of
Amusement for Soldiers;
Receipts of Foot Ball
Games Disappointing.

There has never been such a
need for military athletics since the
declaration of war as there will be
in Omaha this coming winter" said
1t. Col. J. w. S. Wuest, command
ing officer at Fort Omaha when
asked why the soldiers here needed
money for athletic equipment.
The athletic officer had just re-
ported to him that the net receipts
from the two foot ball games already
played had been very disappointing,
and that there was not enough
money in sight to buy athletic
equipment which was needed for the
winter. Don't need any money!
said Colonel Wuest. "Of course
we're going to need money, and
lots of it. In the first place, ath-
letic equipment costs more than it
ever did before, and in the second
place, we are going to need more
equipment than ever before"
Colonel Wuest picked up tele-
gram from his desk, and handed it
to the reporter. "See that! That
means that there are going to be at
least $500 men here all winter, and
about 50 per cent of these men are
going to be great deal more in
terested in going home than in re-
ceiving military training. Our air
service program is not fully out
lined as yet, and until it is we are
going to continue to train men.
This was a comparatively easy mat
ter as long as there was chance for
these men getting to France and
having a chance to fight. But now
that this incentive is removed the
problem of keeping up their inter-
est is pretty serious one.
Must Have Amusement.
"You see, most of our work is 60
ing to be inside this winter, and
unless we have some strenuous form
of amusement for these men when
they are off duty, their health as
we'll as their morale is going to suf-
fer. l am a great believer in ath-
letics myself. and I don't believe in
going at it in a half-hearted, luke
warm manner. The men will be
worked just as hard as they can
work while thew are on duty and |
want them to play the same way.
"The athletic officer has already
drawn up plans for a basket ball
season, and practice will start as
soon as foot ball is over. Games
are being arranged with the other
military camps, as we'll as with uni
versity teams. Our principal idea,
however, is to give every man in
the post a chance to indulge in ath-
letics, and there is where the ex-
pense comes in. We are going to
have two military leagues, one COM
posed of the different company
teams, and the other Of teams from
Fort Crook, Florence field and Fort
Omaha and the officers team. This
will give every man in the post a
chance to try out. In addition, the
athletic directors of the Young
Mems Christian association and
Knights of Columbus are planning
several boxing and wrestling tour
naments. These will start about
the first of December and continue
throughout the winter. Men not al
ready proficient in this art will be
given class instruction until they
are able to take their place in the
tournaments.
Will Play Hockey.
"A great number of men have
shown interest in skating and
hockey, and considerable attention
will be paid to this sport. Arrange
ments will probably be made for the
use of Miller park for hockey games,
and if necessary, space on the reser-
walton will be flooded and skating
Kinks provided. Several of the men
are also making plans for ski tour
naments, snow shoeing, toboganing,
coasting, etc, as soon as there is
sufficient snowfall. The land in the
vicinity of the forts lends itself ad-
to these sports.
"Now you can see why | am so
anxious for the foot ball team to
make money. 1t is the only way we
have of making money. | am con-
WINGED that the game next Satur-
day with the St. Paul Mechanics
echoo1 ~ Pnurl,a narL urill he well