Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-09
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN


Washington. d. C, Nov. s.-Can
a popular form of athletics? An ef-
fort to create interest in it is now be-
ing made by devotees OF the sport.
When looking twice at a pretty
woman might mean a challenge to
a duel. dexterity with a blade was a
matter OF life and death to any man
of rank. In consequence, every
gentleman studied fencing earnestly as
a part OF his training to grace So
ciety. And when hand to hand en-
counters with swords were still a GUS
tomary method OF fighting battles
swordplay was an important part Of a
soldiers training. With these uses
for skill at handling blade. the art
OF fencing f1ourished.
Now dueIing IL against the law
everywhere. Even in the Latin coun-
tries where an encounter is still &C.
casionally reported, the duel!st IS no
longer regarded as the dashing and
romantic hero he once was, II is even
said that It is no heinous crime TO re-
fuse a challenge-and this means a
big change in public opinion, for TO
refuse to fight once meant ostracism.
Modern warfare has almost hanlsh-
ed the sword. In the few cavalry
charges OF modern battles, the rider
swings TO one side OF tho saddle with
his head close TO the horses neck and
his sword thrust ahead. II he misses
ono. man, he rides on to the next.
There is no swordplay OF defense.
More often, when cavalry troop
1 fights. II puts its horses together and
attacks afoot with Carbines or pistols.
Since its practical uses have been
abandoned, fencing Is neglected, In
this country. especially. Now, the In
/ ternatlonal fencing match between n
British team and an American team,
which IL to take place this month, Is
expected to arouse popular interest In
this old sport.
| This country has had flares OF in
tercst in fencing since It's duellnE
DAYS. In Roosevelts administration,
notably. fencing and horseback riding
became the fashionable sports The
President fenced. So did his daugh-
I ter, Alice, and General Leonard
Wood. and so. In consequence, did tho
| diplomatic and official sets OF the
I Capital
CHIEFLY AN ARMY SPORT
Since then the fencing clubs have
been maintained chiefly by officers OF
/ the Army and Navy Fencing always
attracts some college students, too. In
! fact, many OF our swordsmen today
are college-trained men. But fencing
draws small crowds compared with
Q football and tennis. and this accounts
/ partly for the small number OF swords
men developed by the colleges In
continental Europe fencing tourna-
mcnts are backed by public Interest.
Champion teams 70 from place 20
place. as the tennis stars do. to COM
pete IN wcll-attended matches
In spite of the slump In fencing In
this country, We did get together
enough good swordsmen TO make up
n team for the Antwerp Olympic
Games.
The story goes that when this team
won third place against tho crack
teams OF Europe, there was much sur
prise. The CAPTAIN of the Belgian
team came to Major f. w. Honeycutt.
| captain of the Americans. and asked
IL It could be true that the American
fencers had won from tho strong Dan
ish team. Major Honeycutt said that
1t was true. "Then. please accept
my most cordial concentrations, "
1 said the Belgian. You know, you
: Americans were not supposed to win
from anybody"
At these games. the British and
! American fcncers became good
friends. They talked then of a match
between the two countries TO promote
/ skill In fencing. Tho match that Is
! TO be held is a result of these plans.
/ 1t IS the firs. one arranged, and there
will be others every four yenrs
Tho international fencing matches
are sponsored by an honorary COM
mittec composed of President Hard.
ing, chairman. and the Secretary Of
War. the Secretary of the Navy, the
! British Ambp ssador. the American
| Ambassador to the Court of st. James.
| Admiral STINT. and General Pershing
AN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE
| Colonel Robert Thompson has
| given a beautiful bronze tropbv ron
resentins Achilles with his spear nj
the fallen Hector's throat This
trophy is the work OF Gleb Deruiinski
! the'well known Russian sculptor, now