New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Paris or Rome
Will Be Scene
of 1924 Classic
Present System of Awarding
Meet Precludes Possibility
of Selecting This Nation
BY Jack Masters

= Of the succeeding NAS'"pA8~S oo SVu-
t,sfed here unless the present method
4 !. awarding the big international meet
fnpderroes decided change. There has
4 A.sn no official announcement as to the
d s,e of the next world athletic carnival.
md there will be none until next June
: Ia it was learned yesterday that when
cur representatives go abroad to at
ssnd the international conference next
srmrner they will carry no hope what
sver of the games rcing awarded to
this country.
This statement is likely to damp the
/ s,dor of those progressive spirits
n such cities as Los Angeles. Atlantic
, .r?tv Boston and Others who have
slammed to bid for the games. but
( safacts is facts" and il they are faced
raw means to rcome the Difficult
t;ss which prevent the holding of the
seanaes here may be found.
srhe situat on is as follows: Thirty
sseven countries are represented on the
;nternational Olympic committee, which
= viii meet at Lucerne, Switzerland, in
& June for the express purpose of max
ing the 1924 award. A two-thirds ma
;ority is necessary to reach decision,
and practically every foreign repre-
certQtlVe is ODDOSeu 10 LlC
games to this country.
Not on Executive Committee
Americas delegation is composed of
profsssor ". NJ. Sloan, Justice Barlow
Weeks and Allison V. Armour, all
zsshle men Tho have done much for
,mateur sport, but we have no repre-
ssntation on the executive committee,
Which is as follows:
Z; President, Count Fl. de Baillet-Le-
: four, Belgium.
Vice-presidents. Baron de Laveleye,
Belgium, and R. Osterrieth.
j General secretary, A. Verdyck.
-. Reporting Secretary, R. ". Seel-
drayers.
5 p Havenith.
s Under the circum stances it would
seem that the three votes cast by our
! Representatives will have no marked
\ effect upon the decision Of the rest OF
the governing body, and 1T is known
that the European committeeman are
sci upon keeping the games abroad.
In casting about for the cause of this
astounding state of affairs, which prac-
tically prevents the greatest nation in
the world from being honored with
the International contest, lit was found
/. that "lack of funds" on the part of our
foreign cousins was foremost among
the objections. 1t was argued that
European nations are only step from
the scene, no matter in what part of
g the old continent the games be held,
whereas, if they should be held here an
enormous expenditure would be re-
quired if all the countries sent repre-
sentatives.
Europeans at Disadvantage
As an example, foreign Olympic Of
fcials interviewed last August on the
:. probability of bringing the 1924 games
4 here pointed to the 1904 Olympiad at
st. Louis, where our athletes carried
off first honors in twenty-four out of
{ .twenty-six events decided. These Of
fcials contended that their countries,
being unable to raise funds with which
to send representatives here, were at
: decided disadvantage. With Europe in
! dire financial straits this argument
has gained much force abroad.
1t would appear, however, that pow
erty alone is not the reason for steer
s ing clear of the land of prohibition,
fer representative of Los Angeles, it
is said, offered to charter ship which
I would stop at the various foreign ports,
take aboard the competitors, bring
them here and house them during the
games.
!. This unusual offer availed the pro-
& gressive Westerner naught, for the for
eign representative, speaking unoffi-
cially, said that such procedure
would SAVIOR of professionalism and
charity and would, in his opinion, be
3 altogether undesirable.
i This plan, it is understood, will be
\ presented by our three representatives
4 at the meeting in June, when the games
4 will be awarded, but all indications
: point to unfavorable action by the in
4 ternational committee on any scheme
I I TO bring the games here. The advance
: dope" sent out from Paris recently
tends to show that in all likelihood
the French capital or Rome will be
I the scene Of the contest, and under
! ne existing system of representation
she American members of the all
! powerful body are powerless to change
( any decision Of the majority foreign
! board.
s. To Improve Arrangements
;, Although there is no hope of holding
s Ias games in this country, the Ameri
can can. Olympic Committee. which has
i nothing to do with the awarding of
~~s~s>>~D DAS WbtSit ~ Vial ecu WbSn
& .ne arrangement for our participation,
s@l & mas already taken steps to prevent re-
currence Of the disgraceful handling
oi tae recent Olympiad at Antwerp.
This committee, which is composed
o. three representatives. from fifteen
4 ainersnt sports bodies, will meet at
.ns New York A. c. on February for
+ sae purpose Of completely reorganiz-
ias the executive committee. It is
Z proposed to elect a body Of men who
m sfe capable Of handling our end of the
! Mg games in manner BETTING this
In view Of the dismal failure of the
AnIwerp games last August and the
ss.onaerful facilities in the United
a,. s.a.es for handling the Olympics. as
3 nsI az the constant agitation in all
paris Of our country for the classic, 1t
s = not at sll unlikely that the new COM
4.ssee viii join in the fight to honor
ner'ea- Thus far the old body has
about. "''''' ~ "''"h VIA"