Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-03

National interest in the commercial
side of college foot ball has been
aroused by the suggestion from Dr.
Nicholas Murray Butler, president Of
Columbia University, that gate receipts
be abolished and that alumni take
charge of defraying the cost Of inter-
collegiate contests.
The belief that whenever three or
four first-rate universities decide to
place foot ball on q strictly amateur
basis the trick can be DONE" Is voiced
by the New York Sun, with the sugges-
ton as to the handling Of the sport:
Foot ball Is too flne q game to lose its
popularity among players and spec
tators. OF late, however, 1t has become
an amusement enterprise Of vast prb-
portions. Some Of the boys are begin
ming to ask why they should toll like
galley slaves to make money for alma
mater and money and reputation for
the coach. Some day 1t may occur to
them that the whole commercial process
of modern foot ball would fail without
their cooperation. They may then de-
eide to put the fun back into foot ball
and take the business out"
"Dr. Buffers line of thought may be
very good one" advises the Cleveland
News, but it seems to neglect several
factors which unquestionably exert a
large influence on the situation. He
appears to overlook. for example, the
notion so persistent among university
alumni that victorious athletic repre-
Sentation must be obtained at whatever
cost. This notion must account for a
great snare OF the abuses DR.. Butler
deplores. 1t would scarcely be affected
by any endowment fund. In some In
stances university authorities them
selves have given evidence of believing
that the advertising worth of a winning
foot ball team justifies professionalism
Would this be corrected by an endow-
ment fund? And what of the proselyt-
ing coach whose job depends on pro-
ducing winners? The truth of the mat
Ter Is that just now popular esteem
attaches too great Importance to VIC
tory and not enough to purity. Until
this Is corrected there is likely to be
professionalism, regardless of the neces-
sites at the gate"
4 X
Recent suggestions in favor of "com-
petltive education" as q college activity
and q program of physical education
Tor all students Is Endorsed by the Santa
Rosa Press Democrat, with the state
ment: 1T may be that wholesome
physical exercise for all students Is q
rational idea. II students compete
which they must-they might compete
among themselves as individuals or a.
class teams. It might be q good idea
to stop trying to beat all other colleges
while furnishing entertainment for the
paying public which ought to be doing
It's own exercising. If this new athletic
idea ever becomes established, the Way
may be cleared for reviving the Quaint
old educational idea which made cult
vation Of the mind the primary work
OF colleges. Some intellectual competi-
ton might be an interesting expert
ment."
There is no other country in thu
world" argues the Detroit Free Press
where athletic contests hold so large
a place In college life as they do in the
United States" and that paper also
maintains that, partly as q conse-
quence, there is probably no other
country in thu world that gets SO little
education for the amount of money thai
It spends on educational institutions a.
! This country" That paper, however
THINKS that "A sound body IL not worth
much TO society unless 1t contains q
sound mind. at least on speaking terms
with those branches of knowledge that
colleges and universities are maintained
TO impart."
Free gates in athletics" in the judQ-
ment of the Louisville Courier Journal
would hardly work the solution alone
although the elimination Of money paic
by those who desire to see great teams
In action might 90 far toward doine
away with the atmosphere Of CONNER
cialism." The Courier Journal hold.
that the alumni who pay the tuition
Of foot ball stars, and often ind then
means of employment by which the
may profit without too great an amount
I of labor, have given the game a bat
name. They have defeated the very
purpose of school athletics, which is *
develop the physical qualities of Thu
student body" The Martinsburg Eve
ming Journal advises that IF few
more college presidents will take tn,
etand IF mr. Rtltler foot hall ,,4ax, +.