Evening star., 1920-02-02
TENNIS FEDERATION
i. s. |. 7. A. ISSUE
Has Not Joined International
Organization Formed in
Paris in 1913.
BY w, HI, HOTEL.

w nat is the United states Lawn
Tennis Association going to do about
joining the International Lawn Tennis
Federation?
Although the United States is the
donor of the Davis cup. the most
famous of all modern tennis trophies.
and has had representatives in ali
OF these competitions up to the most
recent one, this country is not yet a
member of the federation, which was
organized in Paris in 1913, and to
winch Australia, Belgium, Denmark,
France. Great Britain, Holland, Rus
sia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden Italy
and Switzerland belong
Probably President Adee and other
obJeotors TO the changes in the United
states tennis code had the federation
IN mind when they gave as a reason
international issues for opposing the
proposed revisions in the foot fault
RUE, scoring and handicapping. If the
United States has any intention of
joining the federation the idea of re-
Vlslng the scoring system at the as
soclatlon's meeting February 6. might
as well be given up, for obviously
conservative EurOpe-Great Britain
especlaiiy-will look askance at the
suggested substitution of the prac-
teal one-two-three for the romantic
and traditional en-thirty-forty
love.
Service Much Debated.
The revised foot fault rule might
meet with much favor abroad. for the
American service always has been a
bone OF contention over there ever
since Maurice Mclaughlin in 1913 can
nonaded MS way through the Davis
cup matches and later came within
an ace of landing the British title, los
ing only to the late Anthony Wild
ing In the challenge match.
various methods of restraining the
american twist and the railroad de-
lxerles nave been suggested on the
other side, but the expedient of keen
ing the server behind the base line
with both feet until he has hit the
pail probably would solve the prob
lem there as here
In England there never has beer
.iluch discussion of footfaulting. "a:
tne BRUSH players seldom follow
,nelr service TO the net However
Australians have adopted the Ameri,
can system. and Brookes and PAT
terson can serve and rush to the bar.
rler with the fieetness of the Cali.
fornians.
Differ in Other Detans.
Aside from scoring and footfaulting
there are many other details of tenni:
( In which American customs diffel
markedly from the Europeans. 1t has
been felt that an agreement on th'
most vital points would be advisabl,
before the Davis cup matches ge
! into full swing again. which surel.
will be this year. The reports of r
Norris Williams and Watson NJ
Shburn to the national executive
committee when they returned from
service in the Army abroad indicated
the federation might be expected Il
have real power in the future. ant
their observations were based on al
extensive play in foreign courts.
when the federation was organized
Robert D. Wrenn. former American
singles champion and then presiden
of the L. s. l.. T. A., came out in favor
of America joining, as did Henry w
Slocum, one of the honored veteran:
of the game and former United State:
titleholder. Their opinion was tha
the United States would sooner ol
later be forced to join the federation
or eventually drop out of interna
tional competition