The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-08-14
The Stadium at Antwerp
Was Opened With
Formal Ceremony
HUGE OVAL PACKED
WITH SPECTATORS
German and Austrian
Flags We're Not to Be
Seen To-day

Antwerp, Aug IA - The Olympic
stadium was opened to-day. 1t was a
formal ceremony, staged with setting
Of flags, banners and fiuttering pen
nants against background of white
Stone, cement and wood, with royalty
officialdom. diplomacy, fame and fash.
ion participating in the program or
represented in the boxes But the thou
sands of spectators packed about the
huge oval centered their interest in the
actual contestants - athletes from
nearly 80 nations who paraded the
arena and morrow will begin their
tests of strength and skill.
The spectators were as cosmopoli-
tan as the mass of contestants and in
the ranks Of the athletes were citi-
gems Of all the countries whose flags,
flying from official, diplomatic or con-
sular boxes, made the scene colorful
hodgepodge like warship decked out
with all her pennants.
Two flags, the German and Austri-
an, which flew over the stadium in the
sixth olympiad at Stockholm, were
missing and these countries, barred
from participating in the meet, as were
all enemies Of the entente powers in
the war, had no representation either
in the arena or in the doplimatic boxes.
The Russia flag, also was missing. In
their places, however, were the athletes
and flags of nation newborn of the
war, Czechoslovakia, replacing Bohe
mia, whose athletes, though then listed
separately, had to. march just behind
the Austrians at Sockhalm
The formal ceremonies of opening
the stadium included addresses by the
king of the Belgians, who officially pre-
scented the stadium of Baron Pierre de
Coubertin, president of the interna
tional olympic committee and by a
number sof other officials of the Bel.
gian or Antwerp city government and
Belgian olympic committees. There was
also tremendously impressive signing
Wy a. pCis ldh IAOl di SpGltC9s
The cheering was continuous as the
athletes, filing in from the open space
just back of the stadium, where they |
had formed, nation by nation, swung
into the arena headed by the members
of the international olympic commit
tee. They marched in alphabetical or
der, though the Belgians, alphabetically |
first in the list, took last place, courte-
ously as hosts. This brought Australia |
first in line behind the official com
mittee.
Each group was preceded by its flags
and, generally speaking, each group of
nationals was uniformity dressed-not
in athletic toys, but in suits of uniform
rut and color. Some, however, were in
army and navy uniforms. As they
swung by the royal box, where King
Albert, Prince Leopold and group of
government officials were standing,
they saluted the king. Some of the
athletes paid similar courtesy to the
or ministers of their ma
lions, who had boxes all around the
arena.
Whether it was represented by $50
athletes, as was France, or only a com.
'aratiye handful, as was Japan, each
iation participating, seemed to have
is special clique of partisans in
he stands Where possible, the
rectators of one nationality had
rouped together. All of the tourists,
Who, for weeks, have been pouring into
Belgium seemed to be there.
The American athletes, about 300
trong, were eheered frequently, not
My by their compatriots in the
lands, but by the throngs, who recog.
lied that the group marching behind
he stars and stripes were among the ,
trong contenders for victory in the
eventh olympiad.
1t seemed that there were thousands !
( Americans in the stands Every sol ,
Ter from the army of occupation on +.
he Rhine who could possibly secure