The Washington herald., 1918-04-08
"CHAMP" BOUT
AS AID In WAR
Reader" Quotes Gen. Bell
in Support Of Argument
for Title Contest.

To the Sporting Editor OF The
Washington Herald:
The proposed boxing match for
the heavyweight championship OF
the. world, in which Jess willard
will defend his title against the on
slaughts of Fred Fulton, is attract
siasts, ever ready to witness the fall
OF hailing the new, have shown
clearly that they will support the
bout. The eagerness of promoters
for the privilege of. staging the
contest gives ample proof OF
whether or not II 10 wanted.
As must be the case. however,
some opposition has developed. 1t
is said with emphasis that to pro-
mote a boxing match of this magni-
tude would be in direct opposition
to the spirit of the times. when
men are fighting in Europe. spilling
their blood. why should these men
be allowed to box" is asked on
many sides. 1t might just as well
be asked. why should any men
be allowed to boxT.
What Gen. Bell Said.
The answer to these questions was
given by Gen. Bell, in command Of
the Seventy-seventh Division at
Camp Upton not long ago, wfren q
great boxing tournament was held at
that cantonment: IF American
youth. take to boxing-take to glove
fighting. It will breed a race of hardy
men who will not need to fear the
world. II you men will fight in Eu-
rope as your representatives have
fought here in this ring today. we
need not have any fear of any nation
on the earth-let alone the Germans"
Gen. Bell might have gone further
and told of the cry for boxing gloves
that has come overseas from the
men in camp before going into the
front-line trenches. 1t is almost i'm
possible to supply the demand Of the
Sammies. who love their glove bouts
even more now when they stand face
to face with the great adventure than
when they were at home.
1t is the spirit Of the army as
serting itself. Those men clad in
olive drab are hghters of the true
type. They love to fight in any style,
from the three-inch gun to the cold
steel that Fritzie hates. Boxing will
do more to inculcate the spirit Of
seIfEreliance in men than all the
armaments that the Krupps could
turn out between now and the crack
Of doom.
Fists of Americans.
There are very clearly defined
laws on toting weapons. 1t is not
the American spirit to plunge q
knife into q man, nor to challenge
him to a duel with swords because
Of some difference Of opinion. But
II Is the American spirit to take
ones own part. and there is no
law to prevent swinging a hefty
fist in defense of ones right.
The right to survive is a natural
right. The defense of that right is
the first law OF nature. But the
knowledge of how to defend it prop
erly can only be learned by practice
Of boxing-or sheer fighting IL
necessary.
The War Department has turned
to the professional arena for its
boxing instructors. The best boxers
are now teaching the soldiers the
art OF hit. stop and get away. They
are setting the style for the others.
1t is necessary to have champions.
and there is only one way to make
them. That is to hold bouts for the
titles. Simply because these men
are heavy-weights. and because a
great sum of money has been Of
fered for the match. boxing enthu-
siasts fail to see why it should not
be held.
There is no brief presented against
boxing in the slight opposition offered
to this match. 1t is a brief against
one specific occasion. This. II would
seem, is not in sympathy with the
democracy for which we are fighting
over seas.
Holding championship bouts en-
courages perfecting the art and SCI
ence Of boxing. 1t places the ultimate
premium upon skill, speed. courage
and endurance. Speed. endurance and
skill can only be attained by training
and training renders a clean life i'm
perative to success.
The manhood Of America will never
decay as long as it can defend itself
with natures weapons. There is
nothing that inspires confidence like
the knowledge that one can take care
of himself in any company with his
fists It's no disgrace to know how
to fight