The Washington times., 1920-09-13


Tho majority of us went over on
the Princess Matoika," continued Eby,
! who acted as spokesman. That was
bad enough. Eighteen days we were
in the hold OF a ship that was always
in the trough OF the sea. We had
little or no exercise. No wonder the
, athletes grew stale and fat. How
could they help 1t? It's a small
wonder the men were able to par
ticipate at all.
Then we were quartered In
i school house at Antwerp. Let's skip
that phase OF IL. The cooking there
was awful Coming back they stuck
us in the hold OF the Sherman. This
was worse than going over.
OREGONIAN HAS 81.
'We're here now, the majority OF
us broke and some OF the men have
no money to reach their homes.
There's a man from Oregon, he has
only 81.
''Now, where Is the Olympic COM
mittee to take care of the men? /
speak for the crowd. We're through
with the present committee that
handled the Olympics. We're going
10 oust them. and if we can't do that
we'll quit ourselves"
The Olympic committee consists OF
Weeks, and Mat Halpin, manager.
All are from New York. 80 Is.
Eby.. wound up his outburst by
whitewashing the army transport
service. ..' &C..
"We have no complaint against the
transport officers. he said. They
simply didn't have the facilities.
They did the best for us. The food
was fine. but they were handicapped.
They treated us royalty, but simply
couldn't help conditions. In previous
years the Olympic committee has al
ways chartered ship This time they
sent us across as excess baggage"
"TRIP WAS ROTTEN,
The first Olympic contestant that
was met on the pier was Leo Giebel,
the Rutgers College swimmer and ma
tional 550-yard champion. Giebel was
one of the first athletes to quit Bel
sium, as he had to- return to this
country to take up his ech olaStic
work. In answer to an inquiry about
the trip Giebel said:
"Oh. I do. not Wish to say much.
about the trip. In plain English,Ni it
was rotten. Go over yonder and speak
TO Dick Remer. He is a member of
the athletes committee and will give
you full details ~ 4
on the Olympic team, is one of the
star performers of the American
walkers Association and one of the
most popular men on the team.
WELL" he said, IT might as well
tell you the story from the beginning.
. As I am a member Of the committee,
which also included Norman Ross, Pa
Mcdonald and J. e. (Ted) Meredith,
my statement may be regarded. as the
sentiment of all the athletes. who
made the trip. Mcdonald and myself
are the first members Of the commit
tee to return. D..
"DECEIvED FROM BEGINNING,
1--WE were deceived from the begin
ming to the end of the trip. The
Olympic committee stopped so low as
to deceive the members of the team
on slight, little points. 1t started the
day we sailed. We were told to go
to the customs house and get cabin
baggage checks. That meant a lot
to the athletes, as we thought, we
were in for ,first-cIass cabins. or at
least decent accommodations When
we got on the ship and showed our
checks in all, expectation of getting
state rooms. we were given a laugh
and told that we were to bunk in the
Glory Hol' or in the hold.
after the boat pulled out of New
York conditions became unspeaka able
We were bunked in a section Of the