The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-09-13
WAR DEPARTMENT ORDERS WILL
 PRACTICALLY ELIMINATE FOOTBALL
Colleges With Student Ar my Training Corps Asked to Abandon Fall Sched- uIes.

Chicago, Sept. 13-The possibility of the complete suspension of football in all important colleges and univer- sities in the country as a war meas ure loomed up strongly last night as a result of the War Departments re- quest that no fall gridiron schedules be arranged by educational institu- tions having student army training corps. There are 400 universities and colleges catered through the country with student corps.
 All of the big universities in the middle West had already made plans for carrying out the 1916 schedules and the request for the abandonment of the intercollegiate sport came as a distinct surprise. Practice was to have started in the Big Ten" con- ference next Monday and similar plans for the practice season were under way in the Missouri Valley con- ference. Extensive schedules had been arranged by every important in- stitution, many of the games being scheduled with service elevens.
 Officials of the University of Chi Cago said the War Department re- quest undoubtedly means that all spare time of the students will be devoted to military instruction in stead of athletics and that there would be no time for the develop ment of football
 Every able bodied student will be enrolled in the military unit and will live exactly under training camp con- ditions, devoting IA hours weekly. to military drill and AZ hours weekly to academic studies on military prob lems," said David A. Robertson, sec retary to President Judson of the Uni versity of Chicago. Under that pro- gram there will be no time for foot ball. It would be impossible to spare the time to train men for the game.
 'The great need, of course, is the development of officers for the army" and if fotball must be given up there will be no other course to pursue"
 Alonzo A. Stagg, the veteran coach at the university, was surprised at the request as he understood that the military program would not in- terfere with the game. He pointed to the fact that in the development of football at West Point the players devoted less than an hour day to practice, and that he would attempt to build a team under the same cir cumstances.
 Stagg said: 'I can see no reason for the suspension of the sport. Football undoubtedly would make better off, cers Every member of the 1916 University of Minnesota eleven, both regular and substitutes Is an officer in the army. and each is giving good account of himself in France. Former stars of Chicago's football field also are making good as officers"
 The abandonment of the game would result in heavy financial losses, as the proceeds of the sport usually met the deficit in baseball and other college games.
 Washington, Sept. 13-Colleges and universities with students army training corps units have been advised by the War Department not to make plans for football schedules this fall This became known yesterday when Senators began receiving protests from educational institutions in their homes tates.
 Officials of the University of Ne braska advised Senator Hitchcock that such a step would result in heavy financial loss because the university is under contract to play teams from other leading colleges.