The Washington herald., 1919-03-04
CARY'S BOXING
BILL IS DEAD
Sixty-sixth Congress Will
No Doubt Hear Sponsors
to Legalize Game Here.

Boxing fans must wait until the
next Congress before they viii be
given the opportunity to tell the
lawmakers why bouts of a limited
number of rounds should be legal
lied in the Capital City.
1t was too much to expect that
members of Congress would drop
discussion of the league of nations
and other momentous problems to
lend an ear to the proponents of
boxing legislation. but the advo-
Gates of a boxing law did not give
up hope for consideration OF the
Cary bill until the last gong.
When the Sixty-sixth Congress
convenes, the Cary bill will be in
produced again and every effort
will be made to secure hearing
for the sponsors and a favorable
report from the District Commit
tee.
There is little doubt that much
of the opposition of legalizing box
in emanating from long haired
cranks and shorthaired women has
been discounted by the enthusiasm
which the soldiers of the Ameri-
can army have displayed for the
manly art.
Before the war the Y. NJ. C. A
was listed as one of the nations great
welfare organizations uneQuivocally
opposed to boxing as a sport. When
that agency got into full operation
In army camps. II soon found out
that If it's sporting program was
going to appeal to red-blooded boys
and young men. IL must include pro-
vision for inter regimental battalion
and company bouts. for the average
doughboy was keen to see his col
leagues mix IT up with the padded
gloves.
Almost since the cantonments
started to operate at full capacity.
the Y. NJ. c. A. has accepted boxing
as an essential sport in the training
course and they have encouraged
and promoted boxing in all of the
military establishments.
Nobody will question that the mo-
tives of the Y. NJ c. A in this re-
spect were inspired by a desire to
enhance the physical welfare of the
soldier by encouraging active COM
petition in a sport which the dough-
boy ranked next to baseball
The Knights OF Columbus adopted
boxing from the start. They did not
have to be shown" and a ring where
the followers of the Marquis of
Queensbury could indulge their
desire was n part of every welfare
building of that organization.
What is good for the soldier is
certainly good for the civilian, and
the best possible way to encourage
boxing as a health-giving exercise
is to permit potential lovers of the
sport an opportunity to see men
in action who are skilled in its
fine points
This change of feeling towards
the boxing game is encouragement
for the hackers of legislation to
legalize exhibitions of the manly
art in the Capital They feel If
they can get their case properly
before Congress, favorable action
will follow.
This appeal for a boxing law.
however, must come from sources
other than those who desire TO
commercialize the sport. The av-
erage tout who follows the for
tunes of pugilists and the average
prize fight manager would have as
much weight in expressing his opin-
ion to a member of Congress as
an unwashed Bolshevik.
What those who desire boxing
under proper regulation hope to ac-
complish is to interest welfare
workers who actually observed
what a benefit boxing was to the
doughboys. and have them come
forward and support a measure
that is purely in the interest OF
clean and healthy sport