Evening star., 1942-01-18

When the news was flashed on
December 7 that Japanese bombs
had fallen on Pearl Harbor. thus
forcing the United States into war,
the American Contract Bridge
League was playing the final session
Of the concluding event OF its 18th
annual championship tournament In
Richmond, Va. Immediately the
players began giving thought to
methods whereby organized bridge
could be turned into channels which
would aid national defense.
TheA result of their planning is
becoming effective in financial way.
Already the league has decided that
hereafter its top-score certificates
won in any event under its spon-
sorship will be redeemable in De-
fense stamps and many Of its so
units and of its more than 500 clubs
issuing rating points are taking
steps to follow the same course.
Most notable in this respect is the
action of the Western Division Of
the A. c. B. L., which has announced
in a front-page editorial of the Con-
tract Bridge Forum, published In
Los Angeles, that all of its proceeds
will go to the Red Cross, the U. S. o.
or other like organizations. Over
his facsimile signature Tom Stod-
dard, the outstanding bridge figure
on the Pacific Coast, says:
Our Bridge League will be con-
verted into a complete, live defense
unit. I plan to drop out Of CONNER
cial bridge entirely for the duration
Of the war. AL Of our proceeds will
60 100 per cent for defense"
When Tom goes on to suggest an
initial quota of 500 900, the amount
is not so astronomical as it might
seem, for the regular duplicate
games under his supervision aggre-
gate about 5000 players each week.
The suggestion was made in this
column last week that prizes in
duplicate games be paid in defense
stamps. Acting upon 1t the games
committee of the National Press Club
group Of players has decided that
henceforth all sweepstake prizes
shall be paid in defense stamps.
Other duplicate games where it has
been the practice to give cash prizes
are arranging to do the same, and
even some Of the rubber bridge play
ers will pay of a percentage to win
ners in defense stamps.
The Maryland Bridge League has
voted to award all prizes at its
weekly duplicates in defense stamps.
The New Jersey Bridge League will
donate the net proceeds Of its open
pair tournament on January II to "A
to the Red Cross, and the Long
Island Bridge League will give the
same orga nization one half Of the
income from its annual tournament
on January % to February l.
Other bridge bodies are following
the example figuring that by so do
ing they can contribute to their
country's war effort without in any
way impairing the enjoyment OF
their favorite pastime. In some OF
the sectional tournaments the major
prizes will be paid in defense bonds.
Among the score Of events sched-
uled for the next two months IN
which washington players are espe-
cially interested and in which some
of them will participate are the
Northern Virginia tournament at the
George Mason Hotel in Alexandria,
Va, where there will be open-pair,
mixed-pair, women's pair, amateur
and team -four games on January
q, "a; the Maryland State cham
pionships at the Hotel Emerson IN
Baltimore on February 6. 7 and 3,
where there will be similar contests,
and the Central Pennsylvania tour
nament at the Penn-HayriS Hotel IN
Harrisburg.
Also Of concern to Ioesl players =
tlae 1astern GlaAMpdon6hips at the