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Show , WAR DEPARTMENT TO DECIDE WHETHER "BIG WT GAMES WILL BE PLAYED CHICAGO, Sept. 2G Control of football foot-ball and all other branches of intercollegiate inter-collegiate athletics in the "big ten" was completely relinquished by the faculty representatives of the western conference at a special meeting here tonight and placed in the hands of the war department for management. The faculty representatives unanimously unani-mously voted to take this action because be-cause "of the chaotic condition confronting con-fronting the 191S football program in the middle west universities, and because be-cause it was found to be "impossible to administer Intercollegiate athletics under tho army restrictions." These universities are now virtually under the control of the war department depart-ment as each maintains a student army training corps. Professor Thomas E. French of the Ohio State university, representing the faculty committee, and Avery Brundage of Chicago, representing the western conference committee of graduate grad-uate managers, were appointed to confer con-fer with officials of the war department depart-ment to obtain a clearer understanding understand-ing as to the wishes of the department in regard to carrying out the athletic prograriis. I The special meeting of the professors profes-sors was called because of the conflicting conflict-ing reports regarding the government govern-ment attitude in regard to intercollegiate intercolleg-iate athletics that havo come from various va-rious Institutions making up the conference. con-ference. Reports from Washington indicated that army authorities were strongly in favor of continuing athletics on condition con-dition that they do not lnterfore with the student training activities, but the individual commanding officers at tho dfferent universities seem to take a different view of tho situation. Some of tho commandants at the universities were opposed to having the football elevens make "extended" trips this fall to fulfill dates arranged months ago; others proposed to establish estab-lish a Quarantine for two weeks when tlo universities open October 1, which would result in the cancellation of several sev-eral early season games. "We found It Impossible to administer adminis-ter athletics at the present conditions," condi-tions," said Professor J. F. A. Pyre of the University of Wisconsin, president presi-dent of the faculty committee. "(Tho only thing wo could do was to turn the entire situation over to the war department depart-ment for its control. , "I expect that some of the games requiring re-quiring long trips may have to be cancelled and other changes made in our plans to meet the demands of the war department's purposes and wishes, Some of tho commanding officers of-ficers at the universities are favorable to our athletic programs, but, we want a uniform rule for all." Tho decision of the faculty committee commit-tee to pass control of athletic into the hands of the -war dopartmetn means that freshmen probably will be permitted permit-ted to strive for places on the teams this season. The resoluyon adopted by the faculty fac-ulty representatives follows in. part: "Whereas virtually all the student body of the western conference institutions insti-tutions is to be under military jurisdiction jurisdic-tion and; "Whereas, the rules and regulations of the conference are therefore superseded super-seded by tho rules of th war department; depart-ment; "Now, be it resolved, that the western west-ern conference suspend its activities as a controlling body for the period of the emergency, tho same, as now existing ex-isting to be resumed at the end of that time. "Be It further resolved that the. conference con-ference tender to the war department its services in carrying on athletic activities, ac-tivities, both intermural and Intercollegiate, Intercol-legiate, in and among its members. "Bo it further resolved that representatives repre-sentatives of the conference and the committee of graduate managers be delegated to confer with the war department de-partment to tender the services of the conference and to obtain a clearer understanding un-derstanding of how the wishes and purposes of the department may be carried out." The resolutions were signed by Professor Pro-fessor French of Ohio State university, univer-sity, Professor James Paife of Minnesota, Minne-sota, Professor C. J. Sembower of Indiana, In-diana, H. J. Prentiss of Iowa, Professor Profes-sor G. A. Goodenough of Illinois, Professor Pro-fessor R. W. Aigler of Michigan, Professor Pro-fessor G. A. Young of Purdue, Professor Profes-sor W. V. Pooley of Northwestern, Dean A. W. Small of Chicago, land Professor Pyre of Wisconsin. |