The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-06
BELGIUM PREPARES
FOR OLYMPIC MEET
Track for 1920 international
Games Practically Com
pleted, Says Brown.
BY GEORGE u. UNDERWOOD.

Despite the ravages of the great war.
the drain on its lives, lands and moneys
Belgium already practically has COM
pleted the huge stadium in Antwerp
where next years Olympic games will
be staged and the Belgians are plunglng
into preparations for the great inter-
national meet
Elwood S. Brown, Y. M. c. A. athletic
director. Just back from Belgium. where
ne went at the invitation of Count Henri
Latour. president Of the Belgian Olympic
Committee, to Introduce some of the
mysteries of American athletic methods
among the Belgian officials, gave out
that information at a dinner at the
University Club last night.
The dinner was rendered by George
d. Pratt to Col Wait c. Johnson, chief
athletic officer of the A. e. F. and chair
man OF the Interallied Games Commit
tee. and committee members Lieut.
Col, David M. Goodrich, Capt Richard
H. Waldo and Mr.. Brown.
Speaking of the coming Olympic
games, Mr.. Brown said in part: THE
great towering stadium In which the
games are to be staged is almost COM
pleted. 1t has a splendid circular 500
meter track with a straightaway that
will be 200 meters long, though at pres
ent 1t Is under that distance. Bleachers
at each end Of the straightaway are
being raised to permit full 200 meter
stretch with space enough for the rum
ners to have leeway to start and finish.
The track was built by the same man
who laid the course at Shepherds
Bush. London, where the Olympic games
of 1908 were held, and the Stockholm
olympic track OF 1912"
BeIgians Enthusiastic.
Mr. Brown said that the enthusiasm
the Belgians are showing in preparing
for next years Olympiad is greatly
helping to counterfeit Bolshevism. He
said the effects gradually were spread
ing to France. Great Britain and other
countries and would be of immense
benefit to world readjustment. When a
nation shows that II is willing to play
1t is a sure sign that It is forgetting its
discomfort and regaining an even keel.
The new stadium at Antwerp will ac-
commodate 10000 persons. 1t was built
at a cost of 100000 francs, the city OF
Antwerp. the Belgian Government and
public spirited citizens subscribing
100000 francs each
Mr.. Brown said that the suggestion
that Germany be allowed to compete in
the Olympic games will not be tolerated
by the Belgians. who still feel their
wrongs deeply. He said Count Latour
answered query regarding the posi-
bility OF Germany being an entrant by
caustically remarking. IF Germany is
allowed to enter the Olympic games of
1920 the Olympic games OF 1920 certain
ly will not be held in Belgium"
Mr.. Brown said that Count Latour,
Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France
and other mebers of the International
Olympic Committee were so impressed
by the system by which the recent in
terallied meet was conducted that they
will recommend drastic changes be
made in the rules for olympic competi-
ton. One OF the changes will be not .o
officially declare any country the
Olympic champion, as In past meets, but
only to recognize winners in separate
events. This system was observed at
the recent interallied meet and did away
with much hard feeling
Col. Johnson and Capt Waldo both
spoke glowingly of the assistance rem
dered by Mr.. Brown and other "Y' men
in arranging and staging the recent
interallied meet They also spoke in
favor of mass athletics as introduced by
the Y. NJ. c. A. Count Latour intends
to have mass athletic exhibitions held In
conjunction with the regular competitive
Olympic events next year in order to
teach the men and women of Europe
how to play"