The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-01-20
.|the:Sc1een
! 0fSport
To the Committee on Ways and Means
IIoMSa Of Eanrn srntntlNeS
by NA4S S.SAA&o>

To the COMMITTEES on Ways and Means,
House Of Representatives..
Dear Sirs:
In behalf OF the kid athletes OF the
United States I want to ask you TO
read this believing that you desire to
help them and that you have harmed
1hCm and their sports without meaning
10 do so. You have taxed thousands OF
kid baseball teams out OF existence.
made us play without gloves or masks.
taxed everything We kids play with In
baseball. football, basketball, every
mcnt needed the money. and you didn't
lind US kids holding back when you
wanted anything. We're not kicking
now--only we hear you are going 10
change the tax laws. and we want you
to consider us when you do.
When YOU started taxing luXurieS and
things you thought unnecessary you put
= tax OF 10 per cent on all snortinG
goods. We are not kicking on that,
jo!ntcd fishing rods or golf sticks can
AFFORD TO pay tax. But you made a
mistake. Athletic goods the balls and
bats. gloves and masks. running pants
and shoes and those things are not
sporting goods. They're necess ties.
Other Countries Aid Athletics; We Tax
Them.
after the war about how athletics helped
the morale of the army and how the kid
ath!ctes who quit playing and went
Singing and laughing into the big game
IN FRANCE were made tit by playing
baseball. football and other games. You
preached 10 us that we were the great
est athletic nation and that the athletic
training OF the kids was what made our
army the finest In the world
And then YOU soaked tax Of 10 ncr
n 1nT l.,
contests. Over in England and France
ana even In italy the governments were
ana are trying to encourage athletics
and in Germany the government is MAX
ing athletics compulsory and some OF
the countries are substituting athletics
and furnishing their kids with athlct!c
equipment. And you tax us 10 per cent
on top or the highest prices ever known.
Kids Cannot Buy Uniforms.
Why Mr.. Fordney, do YOU know that
n Kid team can't get its uniforms under
SIS or $50? Do you know that in yof,r
own state. In Detroit alone. there were
one-third fewer uniformed kid teams last
year than there were two years ago?
we got kid friend in Detroit. Il finan-
cIcr. VINO bought UP ten second uniforms
last spring and not only used them for
his own club but rented them out TO
three other kid teams for games, and
eight clubs used them.
started KICKING on this tax. in the
name OF the kids. when il was first as
sesscd. and l expect I made pest OF
myself begging you 10 take IL off You
may remember that over 4 year ago |
got up petition asking you TO quit
taxing our kid athletes. 1t wasn't much
of 4 petition: hadn't the funds 10 send
out solicitors and what | got l had to
beg the makers Of athletic goods for
We just sent blanks around to clubs
and towns and the kids signed them. p.
You might recall. Mr.. Fordney that I
came down to Washington with that
petition. There were 100000 names on
II. mostly kids from every state in tho
Union and from about every town, and
they signed It without being solicited.
TAX Failed to Hit Professional Sports.
Everyone was kind to me in Washing
ton. Half a dozen members OF your