Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-19

all it is a sad spectacle now being
Two great Government lnStltu-
tionS, sworn to a single aim, or
ganiZed as cooperative enter
priseS. for the national defense
and maintained for that purpose
by the taxpayers money, unable
to Straighten out differences en-
gendered by competition on the
athletic field, are not setting fol
the country very excellent eX-
ampleS of fine craftsmanship. OF
diplomacy or of that more or less
Intangible commodity ordinarily
known as "horSe sense"
It is time both the Army and Navy
realize that their present attitude
eventually may react against them. The
people of the country, and especially
that group of well meaning and not so
we'll meaning paciflsts whose acts indi-
cate they think mankind has reached
perfect state, may reasonably come to
think that there is some doubt about the
ACCESSIBILITY of leaving matters OF
national and international importance
in the hands of those who find 1t i'm
possible to solve satisfactorily such a
minor difficulty.
Simple, but Drastic.
The responsibility for these two insti-
buttons lies with the Government and
consequently Representative Edwards
bill, known as House report 5059,
actually seeks to accept that response
bility. This bill contains only 10 lines
and provides that neither the Military
Academy nor the Naval Academy shall
hereinafter engage in any athletic
games or sports with othsr colleges,
schools, universities or teams until
friendly relations are restored between
the said Military and Naval Academies
nor until the said academies resume
athletic games and sports with each
other"
What the situation seems to need is
some plain talk to both schools, or to
whichever school is unwilling 10 un-
bend, from somebody in authority. 1t
is reported that the Navy has indicated
its willingness to compromise on any
basis that the Array desires, just so
that basis results eventually IN an
eligibility code at West Point that VIII
produce something Ike fair competition.
If this be true, then the Nays attitude
seems to be eminently reasonable and
fair, and the Army's attitude hardly
that. to say the best.
The whole situation seems to involve
the playing CT former college stars by
the Army. Such men, for instance. as
Wilson, who played his allotted time
for college foot ball at Penn State and
then went to West Point, where he
could play four more years. Some years
ago the Navy had the same policy, but
came to the conclusion that it was not
fair to its opponents, and it adopted
the first-year rule and also the three
year rule, which limits men. to three
years of foot ball.
In other words, Navy put its athletics
olioihflifU Yiana the big
colleges and universities. The thought
probably never entered Nays mind
that Army would not take the same
action.
Army Alone ON principle"
But in that the Navy seems to have
guessed wrong. The Army still holds TO
its principle" that it has right to use
in athletic competition any student 1t
has, irrespective of what has previously
been his status as an athlete. That is
a stand that any university might take,
but which none does take. Instead
eligibility codes are devised so that, as
a matter of fairness and sportsmansh1p,
teams may compete as nearly as posi-
BILE under the same conditions, so that
one may not maintain an advantage
over others.
Any college that were to adopt a
policy of using any of its students ir-
respective of the length of time they
had previously competed in athletics at
another college would soon find itself
unable to arrange good schedules. Ana
eventually it is going to be more and
mode difficult for the Army to do that,
no matter how rosy the outlook now,
brought about by big crowds that at
tend the shows with Yale, Notre Dame
and Stanford.
The feeling that the Army would
have q big advantage unless some el1gl-
bility code were established first was
evident at the Navy shortly after the
organization of the Reserve OmcerS
Training Corps units in the colleges
and universities throughout the coun-
try. It was felt that the Army in these
units had an organization through
which an almost constant supply OF
veteran and highly trained material
might be directed to West Point. Such
a condition would preclude almost any
possibility of the Navy competing on
even terms with Army.
Navy Like Other Colleges.
So in effect what the Navy asked Of
Army was "Will you not meet with us
and adopt such eligibility rules as are
> comparable to those in the colleges and
universities with which we compete,
which is what we propose to do, and
which Will give US IAN CAldhCS hi
competition with you?" So far the
Army has replied only with the gen.
eralization that it felt it had right
to use any member of the cadet corps
at West Point.
The Navy has adopted eligibility rules
which are in general the same as at
Yale. Princeton and in the Western and
Southern Conferences. Its attitude is
that if it is going to stay in competl-
ton with the colleges and universities
it should be willing to meet them on
a fair basis That is an attitude that
deserves the respect of every educational
institution and unquestionably eventu-
ally will result very advantageously to
Navy.
The Navy could, If it so desired, fill
its foot bail schedule with big games
Navy and Army both could play under
any kind of eligibility codes, or no ellgl-
bility codes at ALL and get as many
big foot ball games as they want, but
only because they can put on a SHOW
such as will draw big crowds and nj
stadia.
In brief the Army and Navy teams
are attractive to the general public
and usually fill any stadium In which
either plays. But in order to do tina
both schools must play their attractive
games away from home and must g
to the trouble, expense and 1nconVen
fence of transporting en- masse thei
.4e ~ hn nf thI