Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-23
ALUMNI FUND ONLY
NOT SPORTS BOOST
Athletics Need More Than
President of Columbia
Suggests.
BY the Associated Press.

i Y ler'S suggestion that all in
tercollegiate athletics be
endowed by alumni to end the
Importance of gate receipts" has
brought forth a flood of comment,
favorable and otherwise, from the
country'S college administrators
and athletic officials.
The consensus seemed to be that the
Columbia presidents proposals might
be sound enough in theory, but that
they were not practicable, at least at
this time 1t was pointed out in some
quarters that endoWmentS Tor academic
purposes are hard enough to get now.
DR.. Buffers further suggestion that
an Athletic League Of Nations" might
be needed to solve current athletic
problems met with the rather general
reply that the present athletic confer
ences, with their special rules and regu-
1ations, already fill any needs along
that line.
DR.. Butler himself disclainned any in
tention of inaugurating any specific
campaign to put his proposals into eff
feet. He made 1t clear he merely had
set forth his own opinions on the sub
ject
Summary of Comments.
A summary of a few of the COM
mentS on DR.. Buffers proposals follows:
Fielding H. Yost, director of ath-
letics. University of Michigan, saw mo
possible value in the proposal
Alonzo Stage, director of athletics,
University of Chicago believes "ath-
letics should be removed entirely from
the influence of alumni bodies and ad-
minlstered as regular department of
the university"
George Huff athletic director, Uni
versity of Illinois, called the proposal
"ridiculouss
President Walter Dill Scott, North
western, in facetious vein, thought DR..
Buffers idea good, but wanted to know
"how to get the money from the
alumni"
Maj. John L. Griffiths, Big Ten ath-
letic commissioner, thought each sec
tional group had enough rules already
and could see no merit IN the League of
Nations" idea
DR.. Frank Metzger, dean of men,
Rutgers. commended DR.. Buffers stand
and thought colleges cannot move too
rapidly in correcting the evils now pre-
vailing in their athletic activities"
Not Proper Method.
President Ernest M. Hopkins, Dart
mouth, Thought the proposal worth con-
sideration, but doubted that alumni
endowment was the proper remedy to
curb overemphaSis.
Prof. William B. Owens, Stanford,
president of the Pacific Coast Confer
ence, would not limit such endowment
to alumni, but would accept it from all
available sources"
Thomas Putnam, dean Of men, Uni
versity of California, doubts IF the en-
dowment plan would meet with the
approval of the alumni and cannot see
where it would solve the problem any
way"
Glenn s. (Pop) Warner, Stanford
said "a lot Of funny things" are sug-
gested. IT don't think DR.. Buffers sug-
geStion merits any comment"
DR.. Forrest c. Allen and H. .. GiSh,
athletic directors at the Universities of
Kansas and Nebraska, respectively, both
thought there already was enough or
ganization in the Big Six Conference
and that DR.. Buffers League of Ma
tons" would be one ruling body t.
many.
Chancellor Frederick M. Hunter, De.
yer. could "see no hope for DR. But
ler's plan as practical thing. at this
date"
Unfair 70 Alumni.
Walter B. Franklin, graduate man
ager of athletics, University of Colo
RADIO, thought it would be "eminently
unfair to ask the alumni to finance ath-
letics. Some of the younger schools
with few graduates soundly entrenched
financially would have to give up ath-
letics altogether"
Prof. c. L. Hare, Alabama Polytech-
mic, president of the Southern Confer
ence, pointed out that the school with
the largest endowment would be in the
same position as the school with the
most money now.
Chancellor Charles NJ. Smelling, Geor-
gia. thought the greatest menace lies
IN the substituting of athletes" and that
the problem of gate receipts is sec
ondary."
w. A. Alexander, Georgia Tech coach,
said Georgia Tech would have to aban-
don all sports noY if it had to depend
upon alumni.
Chancellor James H Kirkland, bust
ness manager of athletics, Southern
Methodist said a Comparatively new
school like ours and others in this Sec
ton wouldn't have a chance of rails
ing" an endowment large enough to
carry out the athletic program.
President Thomas S. Gates, Pennsyl-
vania, said his school would "be glad
10 join in a thorough discussion OF the
problem"