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Show GOOD PROSPECT v FDR 1G LIS Nebraska and Illinois Enthusiasts En-thusiasts Foresee Success of Boxing Legislation. CHICAGO, Dec. 23. Like IlliiiuU and other states, Nebraska expects to puss a bill legalizing boxing in that commonwealth. common-wealth. The measure, known an the Gene Molady bill, already has been rl rafted raft-ed and prepared lor introduction at the coming session of the legislature at Lincoln. I According tn Information from (he corn-busUtng state, the new bill has far stronger backing than the previous measures, mea-sures, whicli were beaten, the b.il te-feated te-feated four years ago lacking only two votes for passage. Assured of the support of the soldiers returning from Fiance and the various j army camps throughout the Cnited States, Melady is contident that this b.ll will run tho gantlet uf ' both houses uf the legislature and receive the approval of the incoming governor, d. R. Jio-jiTelvie. Jio-jiTelvie. is Ideal Sport. V "Boxing is an ideal sport when properly prop-erly supcrv.setl by state authorities." says Mr. Melady. "The bill I have drafted draft-ed .will completely do away with prize fighting. The boxers will receive remuneration re-muneration for their activities, but overv phase which has been objectionable in the past will be eliminated. I figure it is almost unnecessary to cite the good results to the army and navy from "v boxing. "Practically every commander in the United States fighting forces is an enthusiastic en-thusiastic advocate of the glove sport. Boxing has been featured in all army camps and every ship in the naval service. "The sport was a material help in the attainment of physical condition, while it was a huilder of fighting spirit and morale. Hundreds of thousands of America's fighting forces took to boxing during the war and every last one of them will come home an enthusiastic1 booster for the glove sport. "With the knowledge of the practical benefits derived from boxing in the army and navy, I anticipate a new understanding understand-ing of boxing on the part of the public; a sentiment which will insure favorable action by tho members of the legislature." legis-lature." For Service Men. Boxing has been a big thing In the army and navy. For that reason there should be inserted in the measure to legalize the sport in Illinois a clause to Insure representation on the commission of an army and a navy man. That was the opinion expressed Tuesday by Robert Rob-ert V. McK inlay, county commissioner and former Illinois state representative. Commissioner McKinlay "declared himself" him-self" in no uncertain terms regarding a boxing bill. He is a strong advocate of the glove sport and 'came out strongly for the passage of fostering legislation at Springfield. He believes that the lesson taught by boxing in the war demonstrates dem-onstrates the necessity of the glove sport in the athletic training of the country's youth. Commission Representation. It is McKinlay's idea that a commission of five members would be most desirable and that it would be peculiarly fitting if the state executive appointed on the commission two members who cither saw arvice or were directors of athletics at army cantonments or naval training stations. sta-tions. County Commissioner McKinlay's views were expressed in "the following: " "Believing that one of the lessons Vtaught by the world war is the necessity Tf athletic training for the youth of the land, so that they may be fully equipped to respond to any future ca"ll which the.r country may require of her sons, and believing, further, that boxing during the war has come to be looked upon as one of the most desirable and healthful of sports, I desire to be recorded as favoring favor-ing the passage by the next legislature of a boxing bill. High Class Men Needed. "The Bport should, in my judgment, be controlled by a high-class commission, eay five members, to be appointed by the governor, and I would suggest that, as a peculiarly fitting recognition of the boys who served in the army and navy, . two members of said commission be men who Berved In either the army or navy, or men who were directors of athletics at military cantonments or naval training train-ing stations. "I believe thoroughly in teaching the youth of our stntetheart of self-defense, and regard training of that nature a being be-ing highly beneficial not only from a physical, but from a mental, standpoint." |