The Washington herald., 1918-03-17
BY JAMES J. CoRBETr.

Right down here in the very csnteI
OF war activities can't help but be
impressed with the wonderful boost
that the world struggle Is going to
give to clean sport
In the nine months that Uncle Sam
has been training for the K. o. punch
he will eventually land upon the
Kaiser. boxing has taken greater
strides toward general popular favor
than in the last quarter of a century.
II is largely due to our fighting men
in big army cantonments and the en-
couragement that the War Depart
ment has given TO a sport that is a
marvellous developer OF the physical
capabilities OF red-blooded men
In saying this don't think that am
forgetting the part that the American
women who have given their hus-
bands. sons, and brothers to the cause
have played, for they surely have done
much TO remove the taint which many.
unknowingly, attributed to the boxing
game.
Soldier Scraps
I have had the privilege Of visiting
a number of the camps where Amer
ica's war heroes are being trained.
1t was a real revelation to me to OBJ
serve what a grip the boxing gahe
had taken upon the new soldiers. Al
though IL was Sunday afternoon when
made my first visit. found a num-
Der of bouts being staged in the COM
pany streets between embryo cham
pions OF the different companies.
Every window in the barracks over
looking the improvised rings was
crowded with spectators and among
them several hundred Of the women
folks OF the boys in khaki. And they
seemed TO enjoy il thoroughly.
81 used to think that boxing was a
brute sport and only 1T for thugs and
bruisers," one OF the women said to
me. but I can see now that il is a
real scientific sport that anybody who
enjoys athletics can appreciate.
There are thousands Of other women
in the United States who have had
their opinion altered in the same man.
ner.
Charley White. the Chicago light
weight, now boxing instructor al
Camp Custer, tells a story which
shows how popular the game is be-
coming in the army camps
When ! arrived at the cantonment
last week" says White. Il found re-
quests at the base hospital to teach
them the manly art-and would you
believe it?-the nurses want the same
instruction. Requests from the nurses
at the base hospital came as a big
surprise"
The nurses put up a good argument.
They said they needed TO know how
20 box more than the men. so that
when Germans tried TO get near 10
make love to them they could put
over left hooks to the jaw and knock
them out. Tht argument was conciu-
sive. 1 agreed to give them instroc-
ton"
Women Are Boxing.
So at Camp Custer we have q group
OF noble women learning how to prop
erly defend themselves with their
hands IL IL should ever become nece-s-
sary. Every Y. NJ. c. A. building and
the house Of the Knights OF Columbus
encourage the sport and promote inter-
regimental. battalion and company
matches, and the sport can surely be
said to be thriving.
What is going to be the ultimate ef-
feet upon boxing when peace comes
1t is lust as certain as that Kaiser Bill
i going TO take the count. that when
the soldier boys get back to their CIV
iIian pursuits there is going TO be
million or more weIl-trained. hardened,
active young men that are bound 70
encourage a continuance Of the sport
they found enjoyable and beneficial
while in the service OF Uncle Sam.
So that is why I say boxing has
a brighter future than at any time
in its history. These returning soldiers