Evening star., 1940-12-26
0verwork Is Viewed
As Main Detriment
To Came Welfare
Differences in Rules
Is Another Trouble;
Good Ones Scarce
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.


NEW YORK, Dec. 26.-The ques-
ton of advisability of grid officials
working in both intercollegiate and
professional games is receiving seri-
GUS consideration by the Eastern
Intercollegiate Football Association.
Result we'll may be that the football
arbiters will be ordered to make a
choice between the pro and the COL
lege game. The writer thinks he
has reason to feel that such a choice
will be imposed at the January con-
vocation of the E. I. F. A.
Asa S. Bushnell has the power to
make such rule in his capacity as
executive director If he fails to re-
port such action to the convention
and the delegates feel such rule is
desirable they would have the au-
thority to enact it.
In such case the National Football
League and its pro body would face
problem. So. for that matter,
would the colleges, because the num-
ber of very capable officials is
limited.
Collegians. Pros Amicable.
But III the case of the National
League. statements that it would
counter by Offering officials more
money than the colleges could afford
TO pay or would be willing to pay
are loose talk. 1t is by no means
certain this would be done.
In the early days of profess
sionalism an unwholesome feeling
existed between the collegians and
the mercenaries. Later, through
tactful and considerate readjust-
ments-as, for instance. a rule pro-
hibiting clubs from tampering with
college players until after they have
been graduated-effected a very
amiable feeling which has grown
until now the attitude really is
fraternal.
The National League would regret
very much if anything happened to
disturb this relationship, and the
writer feels he is in position to
know that the league would 60 out
of its way to avoid any unpleasant
issue
AS spokesman put it, the league
values very highly its present rela-
tionship with the colleges. 1t feels
that the best interests of the sport
are in the hands of both branches
and that the last thing that should
be permitted to happen in these
feverish days is a football war.
Would Have to Counteract.
However, it is obvious that if the
E. I. F. A. prohibits its officials
from working professional games. the
National League would be obliged
as matter of protection to
take some action. Games cannot be
run well without competent officials.
The professional league convention
annually is held in April and no
steps would be taken until then in
event the intercollegiate Associa-
ton applied ban
If this were put into effect 1t
would be because the college body
believes officials cannot be at their
best when overworked, and this
happens. so some feel. when they
work Saturday and Sunday games.
AS to this, it would seem the effects
of overWork would be observed more
on Sundays than on Saturdays. But
at any rate professional feeling,
as the writer has discovered. is not
that troubles in officiating arise from
overwork. but because of the COM
plexity of the rules. the involved
manner in which they are set forth
and. even more Importantly. the
many cases in which decisions rest
upon the judgment of the officials.
Here. it is felt, is the nub of the
entire situation and one seriously
affecting copper-riveted adjudica-
ton of football games The ques-
tion of overwork, so it is believed,
enters very little, If at all