The Washington times., 1934-02-12

jectives.
There, in a nutshell, you have
q summing up Of the So-calleo
Virginia athletic controversy"
situation, as of today.
On Saturday, committee OF
alumni appointed by the Varsity
"V" Club to investigate athletics
at the university exploded bomb
shell by making public a recon-
mendation for the Improvement
of Virginia athletics.
The recommendation was signed
by charles R. Fenwick, chairman;
William C. Cloth. P. Hunter
Faulconer, Charles H. Smith, e.
William Strickling and c. R. VII
| liams, all wellknown Virginia
alumni.
follows:
owe recommend, for the pur-
nose of reducing the expenses
of athletics at the University OF
Virginia and for obtaining bet
ter results, that the services OF
the present director of athletics,
James G. Driver, and the head
football coach, Fred Dawson, be
dispensed with, and we further
recommend that Gus 7. Tebell
be placed in the position of di-
rector of athletics pending the
reorganization Of the athletic
and physical educatiOnS depart
ments now contemplated by the
university"
It is understood here that the
recommendation will be presented
to the alumni advisory council on
February "a, on which date the
council meets. This council is
composed of some 10000 Virginia
alumni. It is an advisory body,
as its name indicates.
Tempest In Teapot
Some observers claim to see in
the present controversy" tenn
pest in a teapot. Others claim to
recognize it as the beginning of a
hard fought and drawn out bat
tie, with the New Dealers" ulti-
mately achieving victory
Many Virginia students, alumni
and supporters - indeed, even
members of the faculty-insist
they do not understand the pres
ent controversy" if controversy
! it may be called.
Driver is a member of the Vir-
ginia 4aculty and may only be
dismissed by the board of visitors
or by the president of the uni
VerSity.
Dawson has a contract with
year to run. This contract was
entered into by the so-called
1888 committee" of the athletic
council. William H. White, Wash
ington attorney, is chairman of
this committee.
It is difficult to see how Driver
or Dawson can be eliminated at
present from the Virginia athletic
picture. Supporters of the New
Dear' movement contend, how
ever, that they .,ropose to fight it
out to the bitter end, and they
profess of confidence that they
WAA CuNNCCu WILL G4ACAA AA4ONCAACAAG.
There is strong evidence here
that the 1888 committee" the
presidents office and the board of
visitors are at one in relation to
Driver: they feel that he has done
a wonderful job as director of
athletics. AS far as they are con-
cerned there is no controversy.
There Is no evidenc of any
nature or description that the
council wants to break its contract
with Dawson. On the contrary,
there is strong evidence that the
council proposes to :ive up to the
terms of the contract, which
makes Dawson head coach of foot
ball through the season of 1884. :,
TWenty-three people attended
Saturdays Varsity "V'' Club meet
ing out of which grew the recon-
mendation to dismiss Driver and
Dawson. Supporters of the New
Deal" movement explain, how
ever, that the % who did attend
knew the sentiment of Virginia
alumni and students, and the
actions taken by the meeting of
the club have the approval of a
large percentage of Virginia men
everywhere.