The Washington times., 1924-05-13

i ~eAAAGAt pOAuVSI w WADs.
/. The offer to withdraw his
resignation from the Davis Cup
team ''the day the U. S. L. T. A.
calls special meeting.
2. That he requested a reopen
ing of the player-Writer issue that
now promises to bar him from
amateur tennis in 1925 and the
Davis Cup matches of 1924.
8. The declaration that Holcombe
Wards report to the executive COM
mittee made use. of information sup
piled by the player in confidence
or, else were "surreptitiously &C
CURED"
4. The statement that the tennis
association, not the players, was
cOTnnerCializing the game with Its
efforts to get as much money as
possible at the box offices.
s. The offer Of, a new interpre-
tatiSn that would permit the player
the use Of his name over news
paper articles but not Of his cham
pionship title.
Taking up tho Ward report first.
Tilden said in part: -
1.-THE facts concerning me, incor-
porated in the report, were furnish
ed by me at the meeting, as /
supposed In confidence. If these
facts were learned previously. they
were acquired without my knowl-
edge or consent, although would
gladly have supplied them If had
been asked to do so. II the facts
had not been surreptitiously ac-
suuired, the report must have been
rewritten after the meeting for
propaganda purposes, most
unethloal proceeding"
Continuing, the champion
stated he was fighting, not to
y Save my personal amateur status
/ nor from any sense Of piQue" but
because It was his firm cOnvic-
ton that the player-Writer rule
4 lnffingeS ON the rights Of the
Individual, and II not DEBATED,
will work injury to the gal and
ultimately wipe sport liz lture
OF all classes out Of existence.
We fail. to see how he arrives
at this rather startling conclusion
but are in perfect accord with him
when he suggests that special
meeting Of the association be held
to reconsider the Interpretation.
We have, in fact, semi-official
assurances that this will be done
within several weeks. =
''I am sure that President George
Wightman and his body OF sincere,
Woodworking executives. will well.
come this chance to crystalline the
sentiment Of member clubs and
will call a special meeting of the
US. L. T. A. of their own volition.
sShould I be upheld in my stand
and my services still be desired in
the Davis cup this year, they are
at the service Of my country.
would be willing to withdraw my
resignation from the Davis cup
team, the day the U. 8, L. T. A.
calls a special meeting and would
then be willing to let the tennis
players Of America settle the entire
question"
After declaring that amateur rule
barred every tournament player be.
cause the moment he entered a
hard match, he ceased ITO be an
amateur because in that match he
gained neither amusement no physi-
cal benefit" Tilden placed the
onus of commercialism upon the
association by stating:
Tennis is commercialized by the
u. S. L. T. A., not by the players.
The huge gate receipts of the ma
tional championship and the Davis
cup matches are far more danger.
Gus an influence toward profession
alism than written articles. The
time has come to rewrite our am
ateur rule, or the u. s. L. II. A., to
hold it's own standard, must do
away with gate. receipts at it's Of
fetal matches" u