The New York herald., 1922-05-14

invite the United States and other ma
ticLs which are not yet affiliated with Il
to send a representative to the rules
me citing. Each country would be en-
tit ed to two delegates. but in voting
would be allotted a number Of votes
based upon the nations relative position
in the tennis world.
To avoid the possibility of long drawn
out negotiations between countries scat
tered all over the world il is proposed
that the tennis associations appoint
representatives who will have full
power to agree upon the new code OF
rules at the conference next fall. In
accepting the invitation TO attend the
meeting each nation would bind itself
to accept the rules agreed to by its
representative. and. furthermore. they
would be adopted by the next meeting
OF the International Federation without
debate. This action would give the
rules International sanction, and by
pledging each nation in advance to ac-
cept the code as official and final the
chance for future variation In the play
ing rules of the several countries would
be eliminated. While this proposal puts
an unusual responsibility upon the rep
resentatives who might assemble for
the meeting, 1t Is regarded as the only
practical way to accomplish the desired
result and is likely therefore to be the
method of procedure IL the proposed
conference takes place
The revised text of the rules adopted
by the United States in 1920 is known
to have been received with considerable
favor by the tennis associations abroad
and would likely be the basis Of tho
discussion required to establish a uni
form international code. Such differ
ences as have existed are so small In
themselves that they probably could
be harmonized without serious diff
Guilty.
There is a variation. for instance, in
the official size and weight OF tennis
balls as between the British and the
American codes. The United States
permits a variation of one-sixteenth Of
whereas England allows the balls to
vary one-eighth of an inch in diame-
ter. The maximum measurements in
each case are the same, namely, two
and five-eighths inches, but the English
have established two and one-half
inches as the minimum diameter, while
the United States sets two and nine
sixteenths inches as the minimum.
Balls Differ I'm Weight.
In weight the British limits are one
minimum and two and .one-sixteenth
ounces as the maximum. while the
United States limits are two ounces
and two and one-sixteenth ounces re-
spectively. While this variation may
seem so small as to be insignificant. as
practical matter it works out that tho
official balls in the United States are
now recognized to be the most uniform
and generally satisfactory Of any being
manufactured
The service rules of the two countries
are not materially different, although
England retains in the definition of
footfault the phrase that the server
shall not run. walk. hop or jump be-
fore the service has been delivered"
while the United States rules say that
the server must take his position at
rest behind the baseline and thereafter
shall keep both feet behind the base
line and one foot on the ground until
the racket strikes the ball. The use
of spiked shoes Is smother matter
wherein there is some difference The
tournament regulations of the u. $.
l.. I. A. provide that "in all tourna-
ments sanctioned by the National AS
ISOLATION the use of spikes longer than
Of an inch is prohibited"
The English rule is that mo shoes or
boots other than those without heels
and with rubber soles shall be worn
by competitors, except with the express
permission of the referee
The United States has also made a
new departure in Incorporating with the
rules the official decisions on doubtful
points which are known as Gases and
Decisions. Each OF these has been
placed under the rule which decides the
question and as a practical simplifica-
ton of the code the idea has been we'll
received.
Vote Of the executive committee on
the question of being represented at
this rules meeting is being taken by
mail and the outcome will determine
whether the United States shall par
ticipate.