Evening star., 1922-01-08

Tho report dealt with the 1920 games
1t Antwerp and the Olympic conference
at Lausanne last summer, complaining
that the American proposal to hold the
1894 or the 1928 Olympics at Los Ange-
les had not been treated with the re-
spect and courtesy due such an invita-
tion Baron de Coubertin has gone go
far as to request the appointment of an
International subcommittee to go over
the report and to rectify the alleged
errors in it.
Meant to Promote Friendship.
Without going into the merits Of the
report and the baron's action. it is worth
while to consider some of tle broader
phases of such a schism as this Viewed
in the light of the purpose of the resur-
rection of these olympic games. the
Quarrels that have aRaaaated from them
would make a cynic laugh. In the origi-
nal Greek Olympic games, peace was a
great factor. In fact, general ar
mistic was declared throughout Greece
by all warning factions and parties pre-
vious to and during the Olympic games.
In the baron's own plans for the revival
of the Olympic games the Chief and
main statement was to the effect that
they were to promote friendship between
the nations.
This aim certainly cannot be accom-
plished with friction nor are the results
otherwise satisfactory If t1e games pro-
duce enmitieS. The mass feelings OF a
race or a nation are strange things to
deal with, as the pages of history indi-
cate, and ii is not always the great 10
litical events that bulk largest in the
feeling of the individuals in q mass, and
many times the apparently less signif1-
cant undercurrentS are the ones which
govern. 1t is an extremely dangerous
business in world politics to stir up ra-
cial or national animositics whether they
be over games and sports or affairs
which seem much more important.
We, ourselves. in this country are
thoroughly familiar with this phase
of the matter. for We have seen col
1eges and universities alienated from
one another through happenings on
as to eligibility far more than
through any other means. Hence,
this should be lesson to US that the
human animal is about the same the
world over, and anything that pro-
vides the fuel for a quarrel is ex-
tremely dangerous. especially in this
upset condition of world politics.
Persuasion Better Policy.
Whatever may be the merits of the
present controversy. there is one
thing that Americans must face
that II that they are not in control.
or likely to he in control. OF the IN
ternational Olympic committee. and.
hence, what they obtain from the
committee in the way of concessions
must be through the medium of per-
suasion. This brings us to the point
of wondering just what all the other
nations think of US. Diplomacy, the
world believes, is more highly de-
veloped among the continental ma
tions than in the United States. and
when one does not control in voting
numbers. it is necessary, as every
body knows.
Perhaps a good illustration of this
is the fact that 1924 games were
awarded by the international COM
mittee to Paris. and the 1928 games
to Amsterdam. in spite of the Ameri-
can representatives proposal to hold
the 1894 games in Los Angeles should
Paris not be available, or I'M case the
1924 games went to Paris. that the
1928 games should be held i'll Los