The New York herald., 1921-11-10
Army and Navy Favor 0rgani-
zati0n to Control All
Amateur Sports.
TO STANDARDIZE RULES
Secretary Weeks Sends Pro-
posaI for a National As
sociation.

A movement is on foot TO standard
.ze all amateur sports. The Secretar,
OF War and the Secretary Of TIE Nav,
have recommended to the president o.
the American Olympic committee 70
favorable consideration a constitution
for an organization TO be called tn
National Athletic Federation of th'
United States of America.
Secretary Weeks says in his letter
Replying to your letter OF the 25th
Of October on the matter of organ
fzation of the American Olympic AS
sociation, J am enclosing herewith
copy of amendments to the tentative
constitution which was prepared by
your reorganization committee.
The enclosures herewith have
been carefully prepared by a COM
nittee of army and navy officers and
have my entire approval as meeting
the eXigencies of this situation. In
submitting the proposed constitution
herewith l wish to assure you OF my
keen interest in the matter at hand
and my desire TO assist In the or
ganization of continuing agency TO
control and conduct our future par
ticipation in the Olympic games.
However in view of the great inn
nortance which physical education
and mass participation. as III the
sports and games. has assumed In
our national life, I believe that the
problem which confronts us is
greater one than our mere special
lied participation III the quadrennial
games of the international Olympic
Committee and that we should take
the present occasion to lay the foun-
dation of nation federation
which shall embrace all those per-
manent organizations in the United
States devoted to amateur sports and
physical education.
AS YOU know. the army has re-
Gently announced a policy with re-
gard to athletics which provides that
they shall be conducted on an
amateur basis, and which further
states that 1t j. the desire of the
army 10 encourage the participation
OF it's members in local meets and
competition conducted by civilian
agencies. It is my idea in sub
ntting the constitution herewith to
provide for q national federation of
All organizations devoted TO anna
loUr sports within which each one
"f the constituent members would
recognize. for the purpose of competi-
ton and games, the amateur stand
ards of ali other members OF the fed
grafton.
In addition TO the above have a
still wider purpose In mind. Much
has recently been said relative 70 the
f5rmation OF some governmental
agency which will have for it's pur-
pose the coordination OF all national
activities devoted to physical educa-
ton. As nothing concrete has been
done in this matter I, in conjunction
with the Secretary OF the Navy, take
pleasure in recommending to your
favorable consideration my underly-
Ing purpose as outlined generally in
the proposed constitution herewith
and the federation which this consti-
ton will bring into being. feel GER
tain that such an organization which
has as it's broad purpose the physical
education OF every man. woman and
child in this country, and to which all
governmental agencies could grant
their unqualified approval, will 20 a
long way toward accomplishing the
end that any similar governmental
activity might have.
Finally. in view of the urgent
need which think exists for such
an organization as the constitution
herewith contemplates. feel that 7
must instruct my representatives at
the coming meeting to refrain from
committing the army to Join any or
ganization whose scope is not wider
than the one outlined in your pro-
posed constitution
Yours very truly.
(Signcd) JOHN w. WEEKS.
of Wa