The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-17
WANT ACTION BY
 TENNIS UMPIRES

Lawn tennis players are clamCring Tor action on the part of the National UmpireS' Association A number of the men who competed in the recently decided East vs. West matches flat ly state that they prefer to enter into competitions without any linesmen or officials whatsoever rather than to encounter the flagrantly bad decf- srons that have been rendered by some of the officials who have acted as nnesmen in important matches.
 what they consider almost hopeless 1neff1cfency of Hnesmen during the East and West matches has aroused some of the stars to a high state of Indignation.
 Many Of the tournament cam- paigners claim that for some unex- plainable reason the work of the Hnesmen has been unusually bad this season. At the close of the women's national championship tournament at Philadelphia there were a number. of lamentably severe criticisms of the manner in which the line decisions had been rendered. There was some criticism of a milder sort following the Middle States championship tour namient on the courts of the Orange Lawn Tennis Club at Mountain Sta ton N. J. In fact, in no previous sea SUI lldS there been so general com plaint against the decisions made on
 the lines at the important competi- ttonS of the year.
 Players of the class of R. Iindlev Murray, the national champion; Will liam T. Tilden End, Vincent Rich ards, s. Howard Voshell and others. while moderate in their expression of
 views, are reported to be strongly in favor of the national association at tempting to improve the conditions
 governing judging before the arrival of the players from Australia They
 point to the fact that the great tour
 naments on which the top rankin 2 depends are at hand; that the player who depends for results upon his Hnesplitting shots is apt to get the | worst of it according to the way things have been going. They believe that the National Empires Associa- tion should issue a list of qualified linesmen and that men whose faulty eyesight makes it impossible for them to render satisfa ctory decisions should be prevented from holding chairs at any of the matches. The recent difficulties have been brought to the attention of some of the officials of the unpires' associa- l ton and they are making an effort to correct an unfortunate situation In talking of the plans and work that the association hopes to accom- plish Edward c. Conlin the chair ] man of the national organiza ton, | said:
 "'The main object of the National ] Um pdreS' Association is to secure | better conditions for tournament play | throughout the United States-tour- ! nanents representing the highest de- | velopment of tennis. This can be ac- | complished only by widespread
 knowledge and application of the | rules.
 Players. young and old, must know | the rules in order to observe them 1 in letter and spirit. This knowledge
 is particularly essential when so many | beginners are taking up tennis, for l its future welfare demands that they 1 learn the game right. Older players i realize the need for observance of the | rules if they are to win the tennis | honors for which they strive, and SC
 should be encouraged to study the
 laws of the game.
 | "Of1cials must know the rules or | they cannot discharge their duties l fairly. An incompetent official could l spoil the best match ever played. The
 official has a responsibility to the