Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-15
By Frank B. Lord.


With the 18th annual tournament
Of the Washington Bridge League
being brought to = close today at
the Hotel Shoreham In double
events played simultaneously at
afternoon and evening sessions
one the classic open-pair match and
the other the metropolitan game
for The Evening Star Trophy-in-
terest of Washington bridge players
is now directed toward the national
fall tourney Of the American Con-
tract Bridge League, which begins
in Syracuse on November 80.
Despite the difficulties Of travel
and the fact that many Of the ex-
perts are in the military service. the
outlook for the success Of the forth
coming meet is favorable. Regis
trations indicate that there will be
little, If any, falling OF In attend
ance.
Many Of the old-time regulars
doubtless will be absent, but there
is promised an influx Of players who
never have before participated In
the big events Of this character. In
consequence the projectors antici-
pate that some new champions will
be developed. and this will promote
Interest in the game.
The very active committee which
has charge Of making the arrange
ments has been industriously can
wasting the many bridge units
throughout Central New York from
which players will not be obliged to
make long journeys to the tourna-
ment city and have received assur-
ances that they will be well repre-
sented. Not many are expected
from the Far West or the Deep
South. There will be few from
Washington, but the local delega-
ton will be smaller than ever be-
fore at a national tournament.
Last year at Richmond the city
appropriated $1,000 for the enter
tainment of tournament visitors and
this year the Syracuse committee
has raised similar amount by pop
ular subscription for a like pur-
poses In addition to the standard
championship matches which in
clude the women's team Of four, the
mixed team of four, the open and
the mixed pairs there will be q
series Of one session special games
These will be the practice game
Tuesday afternoon. the special dup
licate on the evening of that day,
the mems individual on Wednesday,
the Syracuse Herald-J journal game
on Wednesday evening. the Mayors
special pair game on Thursday, the
Day Nursery game on Thursday eve
ming. the War Orphans scholarship
game on Friday afternoon, the
CNYBA game on Friday evening.
the Hotel Onandaga game and the
new partnership game on Sunday.
These together with the Syracuse
Hospitality event on the opening
night will provide a bill which will
keep things moving throughout the
week.
The followers Of Ely Culbertson in
Washington. who are legion, have
been specializing over the reason
for his comparative inactivity In the
game for nearly year They only
heard Of him recently when he ap-
peared in court in an exhibition
game to prove that bridge Is test
Of skill and not game of chance.
1t now develops that he has been
working on a world federation plan
which he is exploiting in series
of lectures throughout the country
starting on the Pacific Coast. The
plan, based on the total destruction
Of Nazi Germany and her military
allies. he maintains offers to Amer
lea and the world the much-needed
positive ideal" so that all those who
are now engaged in the tragic strug-
gle will not only know what they
are fighting against but also what
they are fighting for.
Mr.. Culbertson was an economist
and political scientist before he
took up contract bridge. He is par
ticularly concerned about Russia in
which country he was born.