The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-03
CONFERENCE WILL
 DEPEND ON MANDY,
 ASSERTS BERNIER
Alabama Could Not Join Move If the CommodoreS and
 Tigers Renege
By HENRY VANCE

Whether the proposed southern con- ference will be a success depends upon the action of Vanderbilt and Sewanee. Charles Bernier, head of athletics at the University of Alabama, made this point plain Wednesday, when he dis cussed the proposition with sport fol lowers in Birmingham.
 MT. Bcrnier was returning from Az lanta, where he had carried the Ala bama basketball five to compete in tl Southern Intercollegiate associa- ticn's tourney, and while his team did not meet with success in the Georgia metropolis drawing a bye for the first game. and being eliminated by Geor- gia-Tech in the first real struggle, the popular Alabama director and coach did not seem downcast. He hinted that he had raw material Tn the making which would cause all basketeers to sit up and take notice next season.
 REASONS FOR HESITATING
 But, getting back to the conference, it might be mentioned that MT. Bernier advanced his reasons for saying that Alabama could not successfully join the movement without the Tigers and Commodores came in. 'sPhe annual tilt between Sewanee and Vanderbilt make up our two biggest games he said, 'and we have no thought of abandon ing them, which move would almost be imperative. should we go into the new organization, while they remained out.
 The argument might be advanced by some that we could go in the con ference, playing non-members at any time we got ready. That is true enough, but with one organization al- lowing first-year men, and the other ruling them strictly taboo, it is easy to see what we would be up against It would mean the maintaining of two teams at Alabama. Some men could be used in a conference game that could not be used In Southern In- tercollegiate Athletic association af- fair. And. you see what that would get us. It would make only for tur- moil and conflict and dssension and the like.
 Working the thing on such slip shod basis would destroy the morale, and we would be far worse off than had we not entered the new organiza- what Alabama does in the matter will depend entirely on what Sewanee and Vanderbilt determine to do.''
 VISITS HEADQUARTERS
 MT. Bernier, while admitting there are no such birds that can be killed two at time with one stone, was nevertheless killing two birds with one alley apple while on this trip. His first object was to attend the basketball tournament in Atlanta. and the second Stop-over here was to close tho date for the appearance of the Birmingham Barons for their annual baseball game in Tuscaloosa this spring. He saw Billy West and Carl ton Molesworth. and it was agreed that the Barons should journey down to the knowledge foundry March 30.
 Real baseball work will be on the bills at the university from now on. "Of course I'm glad that the sap is rising, but I will be still gladder when it has "rix completely smiled the coach. flor always dread the first few days, but once we are trained and working into the schedule, I'm a happy man and wrapped up in my work. It's the ironing out process and the preliminaries that give me the creeps. You know how it was in your kionood days. You'd wade around and nesitate at the brink of the old sw,r- ming hole for 15 minutes. dreadinp that first plunge. Then ali of a and. oen m you'd go it would be fine. and youd SUCK around until your lips and gums got as blue as the background Tor the stars in our well-known arN greatly respected flag" <