The New York herald., 1922-02-08
SEES FREE PUBLIC
GOLF FOR NEW YORK
s. P. Jermain Hopes for Speedy
Victory for Municipal
Linksmen.
By KERR N. PETRIE.

In selecting the committee on public
and municipal courses at the executive
session held in New York city last week
the United States Golf Association ap-
pears to have overlooked its one best
bet. For the time being the official
mind seems to have forgotten S. r. Jer-
main OF the Inverness Club of Toledo.
AS the U. S. @. A. knows Mr.. Jermain
IL for nothing more than the part he
played in the 1919 national open cham
pIonship. which was held at Toledo It is
very evident that something else must
have escaped It, namely, the work that
the well known Inverness official has
been doing for public golf ir his own
part of the country.
OF that work which Is being accom-
plished for the publ; links player of
Toledo Mr.. Jermain has written: 1--WE
expect to have four municipal courses
IN play this year and the usual domi-
mating opposition 20 any fee 1T ALL
There is none yet and we don't propose
to start it,"
However. it Is not only for what he
has done and is doing in his own home
town that Mr.. Jermain becomes a man
whom the United States Golf Associa-
tion cannot possibly afford to leave off
its committee. He Is absolutely indis-
pensable 20 the national body, since his
view is broad enough to take IN the
whole vista of public golf links in the
United States and his energy on behalf
of the municipal player treless. Even
IN this city. where the fight for free
golf has recently famed up anew, his
Influence already has been felt. His
words spoken for Toledo arc said for
the entire United States. There is and
should be dominating opposition to
any fee at all to those who play on the
golf courses in the public parks.
Mr.. Jermain writes that he considers
the fight for free public golf for the
citizenry of New York righteous bat
tie. why raise the rate when such a
large profit existed last year?" he asks.
In this connection it has to be remem-
bered that the statement issued by the
Park Department disclosed that there
was a profit OF $4,000 on the upkeep
OF Van Cortlandt. Mosholu and Pelham.
Such municipal undertakings should
not be conducted upon a profit earning
plan," continues the man who Is giving
Toledo it's four free courses. N great
city like New York should gladly have
appropriated $4,000. or as much more
as is necessary for free public golf. For
such city the cost Is as nothing at all
and the principle at stake is both big
and fundamental. 1t would appear that
your city authorities have seen that golf
affords an opportunity TO wiring a profit
from the golfing public and to exploit
that as an official achievement, whereas
it really constitutes conspicuous fail
ure in the true science of government.
''Mr. Joseph Chamberlain of Birmng-
ham. England. set forth great principle
as text for municipal management
when he said 1T is not how much a
city expends upon it's public works or
its public service, but whether Il is
wisely spent. and so as 60 produce con-
tinuously satisfactory results in tire con-
ditions OF the people. In this their
health and happiness are major factors
and public golf is one Of the chief pro-
moters of them both"