The Washington times., 1920-01-21

LOS ANGELES, Cal, Jan. 21.-
Jack Kearns, manager OF Jack Demp-
sey, today placed the blame for at
tacks on the heavyweight champion s
war record, at the door OF Jimmy
Bronson. manager Of Bob Martin,
A. E. F. champion.
Kearn3 wired Bronson deman ing
that he cease spreading propaganda
to boost Bob Martin and to promote
a fight between him and Carpenter
10y. sending out literature false and
misleading, in which you are att smpt-
ing to convey the impression JACK
Dempsey was a draft dodger and ,n:"
fit to represent America in tltular
battles"
Kearns threatened legal &c ;.oo"
against Bronson.
NEW YORK, Jan. 21-;The Amcri-
can Legion, as unit, VIII take no
part in the Jack Dempsey war record
controersy.
4 policy of hands off" has been
announced from its national heaQ-
quarters.
In message to Jack kearns. the
champions manager. Franklin D'Olier.
note when he said:
1T is not function of the Ameri-
can Leagion to review acts. of the
government during the war in con-
nection with the classification of men
subject to the selective service act,
or to review the claims of any in
dividual who finds II necessary to
justify his exemption from military
service."
This answer was made to kearns'
request for hearing on the "slack-
er charge"
Kearns Taking Heed.
kearns has given an ear to the
rumbling from some organizations OF
former soldiers who express sert'-
ment against giving Dempsey a huge
pile of money for fighting in the ring
when he failed to fight the biggest
fight of all.
In a recent message to William Fox,
New York bidder for the fight. the
champions manager said there was
q good reason why the fight cou'o
not be held in the United States, rc-
ferring, it is presumed to the agita-
tion against Dempsey's war record.
Sentiment among the ex-soldiers
and sport writers, the latter includ-
ing many gold stripers, is divided on
not run away when called, that he
did not claim exemption, and that he
went to the shipyards to work in
stead of donning a boxing instructors
uniform, have been referred to in
many letters as reasons why the
champion should not be Disseminated
against when so many other athletes,
who did not even pound rivets, are
prospering without any stigma at
tached to them.
The Home Sector slams.
The latest assault on Dempsey
comes from the Home Sector, a pc
riodical published by the former Stars
and Stripes staff. in which an edi-
torial pours forth some choice sar-
casm on his title of "Amcrica's great
est fighter"
Americas greatest tighter" it
reads, "hero of a few weeks in the
shipyards. hero of a few minutes bat
tie with Jess Willard, hero of the fur
overcoat and the fat bank account,
hero of the moving pictures at sew
eral thousand dollars a week, hero Of
two peaceful and eminently profitable
wears in the United States while the
worlds championship was being
fought several thousand miles away
1t further upbraids him for never
having felt a gun on his shoulder, for
never plodding through mud with a
pack on his back and shells whis-
tling about"
Let them be just and fair with it
ALI, however. Not all the men who
were in the uniforms experienced
these discomforts. Many escaped
service with a desk job that was far
easier than riveting in the shipyards.