Evening star., 1924-01-01

!, The adoption of the resolution real
iy was due to a clever stroke of poll
tlcs in athletics. Harrassed by YER
pal and printed assaults and sens
ing trend against it in public
opinion due mainly to widespread
discussion of the case Of Charles
Paddock. University of Southern
California sprinter, the Olympic
committee was anxious to find a
means to compose the differences be-
Grafton.
Recent publicity revealing the par
tfal domination of American athletes
In international competition by for
eign interests through the A A. U,
provided an opportunity. The reso-
luton. purported to come from the
Olympic committee and was adopted
unanimously by the federation.
Resolution Attached.
There was considerable discussion
OF IL pefore vote was taken, how
ever. Gustavus Kirby. former A. A.
=. president and delegate to the
conN ention from the Playground and
Recreation Association OF America,
vigorously defended the right of the
A. A. U. to control the selection of
olympic team athletes for the sports
the older organization fosters. Gen.
Palmer Pierce, president of the Ma
tional Collegiate Athletic Associa-
ton, a constituent member, of the
federation, and DR.. Leslie ]. Aver, a
delegate from the University of
Washington, as well as Col. wait C.
Johnson, the Army's delegate, who
introduced the resolution, were not
!oath to point out the necessity of
its adoption.
Although much business was ac-
complished by the convention, it was
not done without almost continual
comment on the Paddock case. The
cause of the Pacific coast runner, who
has been suspended by the A. A. U.
for unauthorized participation in
many champions. Considerable mis-
information evidently has been broad
cast concerning this issue.
At the morning session of the con-
vention, Col. Robert NJ. Thompson.
chairman of the Olympic committee.
defended the action of the A. A U. in
suspending Paddock, declaring the
law in the case justified the action.
He stated that the games in which
Paddock appeared We're not authoriz-
ed by the French Athletic Federation
nor conducted under collegiate aus
pices.
In the afternoon. however, Gen.
Pierce declared that Paddock was not
representing the A. A. u, but the
University of Southern California, in
France; that the university sanction
ed his participation in the games,
that the French Federation had
We're strictly of an intercollegiate
character He offered documentary
evidence in support of his statements.
Evidently some had not been fully
informed as to the case before yeSter-
days meeting.
support Is Pledged.
The federation was addressed by
number of prominent government
officials who pledged their support,
among them being Secretary OF the
Navy Edwin DENLY, Secretary of
Agriculture Henry Wallace, Assistant
Roosevelt. Maj. Gen. Hines and Ad-
miral E. w. Eberle. Lengthy reports
of progress'in the work of the wom-
ems division of the federation were
given by Mrs. Herbert Hoover and
Miss Lillian Sherttler Col. Henry
Rreckinridge, president of the feder-
alton. also reviewed the work of the
organization for the past year, specifi-
cally mentioning the mission OF the fed
Grafton and emphasizing that 1t deaitn
with the constituent member and not
the individual.
A resolution calling upon Congress
to provide for a national memorial
athletic stadium here was introduced
by Mai. c. Eugene Edwards or this
CITY and unanimously adopted. Sew
eraI organizations were admitted to
membership in the federation ana an
alliance formed with the Philippine
Athletic Federation.
Col. Breckenridge was reelected
president Of the organization. others
chosen were Gen. Palmer Pierce. Mrs.
Herbert Hoover and Dwight F: Davis
vice presidents; Ellwood s. Brown
executives officer; Herbert l. Pratt,
treasurer, and DR.. George ]. Fisher,
Lieut.. Col. Wait c. Johnson, COM
mander R c. Train. DR.. John Brown,
DR.. J. H. McCurdy, Charles l. 0rn-
stein. Miss Lillian Schroeder. Miss
Ethel Perrin, Agnes Weyman Brown,
v. Everit Macy and Mrs: Harold Pratt
members of the executive committee.