The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-07-30

49, d1lu SO4uS
Kirk Miller on record
against American participa-
ton in the 1885 Olympics schec
uled for Berlin, the word "Nazi
to me was just a short, ugly nam
that fits easily in the ordinar
newspaper banner line or heading
But the A. A. U. president,
Jerimiah Maloney, a good, Irish,
fighting name at that, brought
me to my feet when he made a
personal notation about what
might happen to Jewish and
Catholic participants in the
coming Olympics, and I sud-
denly found myself cheering for
the A. A. u, something l
haven't done since I have been
q full-fledged adult.
A Bad, Bad Omen
I had come to detest the
word "Nazi'' since it has been
blazoned across our Page is,
much is the French used to
detest the German "Boche. "
But the feeling was abstract.
It concerned a field foreign to
mine. It stood for nothing
good, yet, until now it h d no
reason to bestir the hate Of the
sports world.
Since the very spirit Of the
Olyrnpics, as they have come
to us down through the ages,
has been one of international
amity, understanding and mu-
tual advancement in sports
competition, how can such pre-
cepts be reconciled with the
events in Germany concerning
the Catholics and Jews, news
of which have captivated our
eyes for months?
Big Melting Pot
America is a nation of all
peoples and American sports
present a picture of athletes of
all races, denomint. ions, colorS
and schools of thought. We
have our Jess Owens, our Joe
McCluskey and Tom O'Briene,
our Phil Levy and Sam Klops.
rock and scores and scores of
boy and girl athletes who have
in them the blood of as many
nationalities as exiSt-but to
us they are all Americans.
Since Germany has shown in
recent months that tolerance is
one of the virtues of which it
possesses the minimum, and
since it's inclinations are to diff
ferentiate along religious lines,
certainly there is substantial
cause for America to pause to
think just how the Catholic and
Jewish athletes who might rep
resent this country year hence
at the Olympics, might fare in a
land that can be so bigoteu to-
WaEQ G11OSS SGCGSs
You all will recall the magic
Olympic insignia that was cir.
culated throughout this coun-
try on the occasion of the last
Olympic games, in Los Angeles.
Wasn't it red, white and blue
hoops or circles, interlocked to
denote the fellowship, sports
manship and friendliness?
Has Germany qualified before
the world to carry out the
meaning of that symbol, which
dominated the last Olympics,
both in fact and fancy?
One Way Out
Were you the parent of any
potential American :, Olympic
stars, of 1885, particularly the
parents of a Catholic or Jewish
boy or girl athlete, with what
misgivings would you go down
to the pier to wave a fearful
good-by when their boat sailed
for Bremen or Hamburg?
Would you ask guarantees Of
Germany, not only for protec-
ton of our boys and girls dur
ing the forthcoming Olympics,
but for an honorable promise
of fair play toward them,
whether in the games or
whether at their devotions?
Better than that, wouldn't
you prefer to take no gamble
on an international, religious or
sportive dispute in 1886?
Wouldn't you compromise
with your conscience and keep
those kids home and bring
them all right here to Wash.
ington and let them hold an
American Olympiad down here
on our Mall, and, meanwhile,
ask the PWA for funds, now,
to start building stadium, to
be completed in IL months,
which would be permanent and
which would ever be open to
athletes of whatever nation,
hue or religious leaning their
birth and intellects dictated.
I would!
And I'd let our boy and girl atl
leteS "see America, and Washing
ton, Its capital!