The Washington herald., 1921-11-20
WEEKS PLANFOR
new SPORT BODY
GAINS SUPPORT
To Be Laid Before Ath-
letic Associations in
New York Friday.

The recent proposal OF Secretary
Pf War John w Weeks that all ex-
Rent amateur sports organizations
be Joined In one association. nation
PAL In scope. will be placed before
meeting OF practically all the i'm
portant amateur athletic associa-
tions In the country next Friday
morning at the New York Athletic
Club.
Mr.. Weeks proposal, which has
the hearty support OF the Secretary
OF the Navy, came in answer to a
letter from Gustavus Kirby. presi-
dent OF the Olympic committee, ask
ing cooperation in the work OF
American participation in the Olyn-
pic games and inviting the
Secretary of War to send represent
attves to the meeting Friday 70
join in forming an American Olym-
pic Association.
Plan National Federation.
Mr.. Weeks, however, stated tha
in view of the great importanc,
which physical education and mas:
participation in sports and game.
has assumed in our national life
/ believe that the problem that
eonfronts US is greater one
than our mere specialized par
ticipation in the quadrennial
games OF the international Olym-
pic committee, and that we
should take the present occasion to
lay the foundation of a nationwide
federation which shall embrace all
these permanent organizations in
the United States devoted TO ANA
teur sport and physical education"
| OF the purpose of such an or
ganization Mr.. Weeks has the fol-
lowing to say: Its mission shall
be to create and maintain a per-
manent organization. representative
Of amateur sports, and Of organi-
zations devoted thereto in the
United States: to establish and
maintain the highest ideals of anna
teur sport in the United States; to
promote the development of physi-
cal education; to standardize the
rules of all amateur athletic games
or competitions. and to direct and
control the participation Of this
country in the Olympic games"
II Is with this mission in view
that the six service representatives,
Mai. Francis Honeycutt, captain of
the American international fencing
team; Mai. Charles Daily. West
Point football coach: Col. Wait c.
Johnson. chief athletic officer OF the
A E F. for the Army: and Capt
Train, Comdr. Emmitt and Comdr
Howard for the Navy. will attempt
TO aid in bringing into being a fed.
Grafton in which all agencies in
this country, national in their
scope. and devoted to amateur sport,
may be able to join.
scheme of Organization.
The general scheme of organiza-
tion would be a national federation
with regional. State and local or
ganiZations, which latter bodies
would conduct throughout their
Jurisdiction. local. State and
regional competitions. and in which
all organizations devoted to anna
teur sport would be welcome mem
bers
An important point of Mr.. Weeks
proposal is that he desires that
each of the individual units of such
an organization, as. for instance,
the Army and Navy. be responsible
for the determination of the ANA
teur status of any member of the
unit. and that a soldier. sailor or
officer be received for competition
without the necessity of registra-
ton or subscription to the require
ments of any other organization.
Already the leaders in several
lines OF sport activities. notably
Gustavus Kirby. president of the
Olympic committee: John R. Mott.
general secretary Of the interna-
tional committee Of the Y. VI. c. A.,
and Paul B. williams. field secre-
tary Of the United States Lawn
Tennis Association, have come out
strongly in favor OF the idea.
Secretary Weeks plan Is perhaps
the best that has been offered in
amateur sports for years. and with
the official stamp OF the govern
nent behind II, its worth is in
creased. Mr.. Weeks ideal. that of
Slpbuilding the manhood and woman
hood OF the nation by making ex-
ercise more general, is a worthy
lone. II properly worked out Ia
slow process. by the way. menaced
by many pitfalls) It would mean
much TO the nation as well as to
amateur sport.