The New York herald., 1922-12-06
MAX H. BEHR PAYS
RESPECTS TO U.S.G.A.
Calls National Golf Executive
Committee PussyfOoting,
Volsteading Idealists.
ny KERR n. PETRIE.

Several years ago, when the western
Golf Association was feeling particu-
larly cross it used to tell the u. s. q. A.
to its face that the latter was suffering
from a complication OF hang nail. fallen
arches and ingrowing wisdom teeth.
Then the trouble blew over. and. SO far
as one could gather from the bedside
bulletins, the national body regained it's
health and strength.
Now the question arises whether the
dear old public has not been hoodwinked
as to the real state OF affairs. Is 1t
possible that the patient. instead OF hav-
ing been nursed back to health, has been
allowed to drift along, neglected. until
finally the trouble has become chronic?
According to Max II. Behr. runner-up
in 1908 for the national amateur cham
pionship and later holder OF the New
Jersey State title this Is undertaking
the case. Mr. Behr seems to think that
the u. S. G. A, as a golf association, is
suffering from a mass OF diseases which
makes it candidate for the home Tor
incurables. BY comparison, anyone or
anything with paresis, arterio celeresis
and senile decay would be mildly af-
flicted according to the former New
Jersey champions way of looking at it.
That was about the time that the West
ern Golf Association was cutting up
and saying hard things about the pa
rent body" through its clenched teeth
No one could say whether he had gone
to get the western atmosphere and
study the u. S. G. A. from the crows
nest of the trouble center. Possibly he
got tired mingling with officials who
amended rules one day and then changed
them back the next.
II he remained in the East, there was
the u. S. c. A. He could not turn his
eyes seaward, for, there beyond the ho-
rizon, was hoary old st. Andrews, just
about as bad. So Mr.. Behr went where
the boulevard did not cross the trail or
the national association
Viewed from the middle West 1t Is
now quite evident that the U. S. @. A
looked pretty much like wreck. NOR
did distance lend enchantment to the
view apparently. One can picture Mr..
Behr looking toward the East when he
has to and turning away toward the
Orient with a feeling of nausea.
Mr.. Behr apparently does not like the
way in which the U. S. G. A. sent that cir
cular warning clubs and sectional associa-
tions that they were making tournament
purses for the professionals too large.
He applauds any sentiment deriding
such action. Hence writing from Pasa-
dena, Cal, on November 81 he says:
'I was delighted with your article
Golf pros begin to see the light in
THE NEW York HERALD of November
20. The executive committee of the
U. S. G. A. are nothing but lot Of
pussyfooting. Volsteading idealists, in
consistent, impractical, sustained by the
conceit that the halo OF golf interests
rests upon their heads.
"The association is obligated to main
tain a uniform code of rules throughout
the United States, and because it is not
representative association--and the
executive committee unconsciously is
aware Of this--like an ostrich 1t sticks its
head in the sand and countenances the
making of local rules of the rules of
golf. thinking that the word local abb
solves it of its oath and bounden duty.
Its psychological history is identical
with that OF human failure. They all
start to moralize In highfalutin terms,
thereby thinking to hide their misdeeds
to the public and themselves"
No longer is there any doubt as to
why the u. S. G. A. turned Its attention
to Pittsburgh as being the ideal place
wherein to hold its annual meeting.
Moro than smoke will be required to
hide the self-conscious bushes at the
meeting in January.