The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-16

Boxing has come back into it's own
 through the praiseworthy action and
 splendid judgment of army officials.
 When the United States joined in the
 world conflict and thousands of young
 sters were sent to army cantonments,
 the government decided to introduce
 into the camps form of sport that could
 bring the ultimate in pleasure and bene-
 fit and character development for the
 men. And, after the most careful con-
 sideration, boxing was selected and some
 of the most competent instructors in the
 world were named to teach the soldiers
 in the fine art of self-defense.
 In the past the padded mitt sport has
 been plaything of politicians and eye., tho target of mud singers. But those days are gone. The action of the gov- ernment has dignified and ennobled box ing and raised it to the highest possible plane-but to no higher pinnacle than it deserves and ever has deserved
 Boxing, for more than years. has been a clean and scientific game Under the present rules it is not brutal nor degrading. It is a sport where brute strength no longer counts as real as- set; one that places premium upon speed, upon cleverness and upon brains. But boxing has had to suffer for the sins of pugilism committed in the old days of the London prize rules.
 Pugilism as conducted in the old days became looked upon as sport with which no person who had any self-re- spect would connect himself
 It was during this period that the liar quis of Queensbury, ever a lover of clean sport. decided the game could be re- deemed if the rules were changed. So he drew up set of rules intended to lift fighting from a brutal sport to scientific exhibition. From the day that the English nobleman drafted the rules a new era dawned for pugilism. It rose slowly, but surely, from the mire to a sport as manly as can be found in the world.
 Prize fighting of the long ago, was brutal and it deserved condemnation. Bull-like strength then was the greatest need. Science was almost unknown as far as fighters of that era were con- the little that was known seldom was used Battlers didn't con- fine themselves to hitting with hands. They wrestled, threw each other to the ground, jumped onto prostrate opponents with their knees, gouged their eyes and used other forms of torturous fighting The use of brass and steel '.knuckles, was permissible. Spikes were worn on shoes and frequently they were used to rip the flesh of opponents. Every contest in that era was to finish. No fight ended until one or another of the had been beaten to pulp and into insensibilitys
 Small wonder that police officials took action to stamp out fighting. The men who engaged in fighting in those days were, in a large measure, of the How 1 brow" variety.
 But certain bands of so-ca1led '.re- formers always confuse boxing of to- l lay with that brutal pugilism of 90 | 70 and GO years ago. They forget that l changes have come-wonderfu changes | md that boxing js now a, sport that | should be encouraged.
 More than 20 years ago Joe Choynski | md Peter Manor staged bout in New | York city. Afterward considerable crit cism was made, some persons claiming | hat it was very brutal contest and me that no self-respecting man would lave witnessed. The ''reformers'' de- Jared that the continuance of such sport