Evening star., 1925-03-01

mystery Is tabloid journalism of the
character mentioned. He cannot
understand why stories with such
little foundation of fact are printed
why those responsible for them SEEM
ingly have gone out of their way TO
injure him while he is spending every
minute OF his time here endeavortng
TO satisfy, insofar as is physically
possible. Americas demands for ex-
hibitions of his record -shattering
speed.
Paavo took up the cellar dweller"
Issue first.
Lives In MOdern "HOvel.'
IF a modern basement apartment
Is a cellar howell, then I suppose that
story Is right" remarked Paavo with
a smile. But" he added Il think
il is reasonable to, suppose the re-
porter who wrote the cellar story
lives In no better apartment than the
one I occupy"
Then he guided me TO one of sew
eral OF the basement suites in large
modern dwelling In the Bronx-an
up-to-th minute apartment, nicely
furnished and with windows overlooking
Mosholu Park
Paayo and his trainer live there as
the guests of the formers cousin,
Charles Nyburn. who is superintend-
ent OF the building. Their relation
ship was a very natural reason for
Paavo to make his American home
with Nyburn. Then, too, there was
the long stretch of parkway at the
door, where Paavo could do his out
door training, while only few blocks
away is the Kings Bridge Armory,
whose officers had granted Paavo Its
use for indoor work.
As Mosholu parkway is far out in
the Bronx, tPaavo. by living there was
FAl f,a N 2f-TS1
of callers which made so difficult his
early weeks in this country, when he
lived farther downtown.
II should Ike to have SO good
quarters in Finland as l have here"
Paavo stated. "If my cousins apart
mept is a cellar hovel. then those
who pay good rent in this house and
In other modern basement apartments
throughout this great city of yours
are being put upon"
Money Charges Disproved.
The Finnish runner had not been
informed of the yarns printed in the
rival tabloid" which told of the al
legged demands for hundreds or thou
sands of dollars each time he took
part in a track meet and which de-
clared he has been a pensioner of the
Finnish government ever since he at
tained foot-racing fame.
The former charge to the effect
Paavo had demanded $1,000 for run
ming in the Fordham University
games; $4,000 for running in the IL
linois A. c. meet and $500 for run
ming in the ST. Joseph's meet was
investigated before journeying to
Paavo's residence.
I learned the statements were with
out foundation-learned in fact, that
Paavo and his American sponsor,
Hugo Quist. had made the Chicago
trip at cost TO themselves.
The Rev. Father Dean and Frank
Gargan. graduate manager of Ford
ham, fatty denied any demands by
Paavo for his appearance in their
meet; James Owens of the st. Joseph's
Catholic Club had the same thing to
say of the st. Joseph's meet
Charles Dean. president of the
Illinois Athletic Club. in telegram
stated he had supplied Nurmi and
Quist with railroad fare to and from
New York, and that Quist had refused
to accept additional expense money
to which he was entitled under
A. A. U. regulations.
Paavo laughed at the absurdity of
the tabloids charges on that score.
The matter of his expenses. he ex-
plained, was entirely in the hands of
the A A. L. authorities. who were
SupoENlStnS anu " vi III SOAJGhN-
ton with Hugo Qulst, and that he
(Paavo) could not have made de-
mands directly, owing to the fact he
does not speak the English language.
Works for Private Firm.
AS for being subsidized by the
Finnish government, Paavo said he
had received his education at govern
ment expense, as is the case with all
Firms and that the government had
erected in HelSingfors, d statue or
him, but that he was not nor had he
ever been a government pensioner.
The Solberd Co. OF Helsingfors, for
which he works as mechanical
craftsman, is not a government con-
Germ, nor did he gain his position
through government interest.
Paavo-informed me his present In
door schedule carries through to the
Post Ofice games of March 1S and
that he hopes to enjoy a few weeks
rest thereafter, and then. some time
in April conclude his indoor cam
paisn with his race of races, which
will see brand-new records Tor every
distance from the mile to 5000 meters.
The indoor mile mark should be
reduced to 4:12 or even lower, and
every record that now stands up to
and including 5000 meters should be
lowered" Paavo declared. And, he
added, "if I get the rest so much
need will lower them.
''I doubt very much IL / can lower
many more records before l get the
needed rest. I may have good night
once or twice, but 1 do not think my
appearances from now until March Is
should be advertised as record at
tempts If ] find can break rec
ords shall do SO, but that is all the
managers should tell the public"
Paavo had something to say TO
those who would have him meet Joie
Ray and Lloyd Hahn in all his races
OF 1900 meters and one mile and meet
Willie Ritola in all his races above
the mile.
Finn a Hard Worker.
There is a vast difference between
running distances around the mile
and those of two miles and above"
he explained. Your milers, running
seldom, are concentrating on that dis
tance, and Ritola, running more often,
specialiZes in tie longer events. I
have raced each Of them several times
and have beaten them at their dis
tances and probably will do so again,
and If they had and would follow me
in my campaign / should race them
every time.
But they have not followed me,
nor will they vary, as I am called
upon to do, the distances they run.
Who among them, for instance. would
follow me for the next 10 days, rae
ing Saturday at Louisville, Mnoday