STRONG FEELING AGAINST PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

Many leading men in the realm of sport as well as the Western Conference Association are opposed to professional football, on the grounds that professionalism is itself undesirable and would interfere with college football, one of the best qualities of which is its amateur standing.

The Western Conference Association passed drastic rules against professional football at its December meeting, because of the increase in professionalism in the Middle West. One of the most important of these rules is the taking away of any football letters to men engaging in professional football, even after graduation.

Perry Censures Professionalism.

Lawrence Perry is another opponent to the game and in an article in the New York Evening Post says:

"Football is so inherently rough and can be made so brutal, a menace not only to limb but to life, that when it is played out of the control of self-respecting universities, colleges and schools it requires supervision by the authorities no less rigid than is exercised over the prize ring. Football may be a game or it may be a fight. In any event it is peculiarly a college sport and has many features that cannot be transplanted to mercenary soil. One of them is the amateur flavor of intercollegiate football--one of its very greatest assets; professionalism, not only sullies the game as a game; but injures the college branch of the sport, inasmuch as the temptation held out to college players sometimes is stronger than they can resist."

F. J. O'Neil, coach of the star Syracuse eleven for the past season writes:

"Along with other coaches I am quite concerned over the situation in regard to professional football. Managers of professional teams offer young players sums of money which it is almost impossible for them to refuse, especially if they are poor boys, I think it is one of the most serious situations which those interested in college athletics have had to face, and I believe there is no remedy too radical to be used in an effort to cure it."

Another well-known sport writer, Sol Metzger, physical director at Union College gives this statement:

"The far reaching results of the attempts of certain professional football managers to capitalize the gridiron fame of intercollegiate stars is so great that legislation of a most drastic nature is needed immediately to close the matter now and for all time in favor of the college game.

"The purpose of the college is to prepare its sons for life and to send them out as leaders in the work of the nation. While I have no quarrel with professional football and while I do not condemn those who follow this line of work, I do think it is foreign to the purpose of our educational institutions to be a preparatory field for those seeking to follow this career."

Gilmore Doble, Navy coach; Charles W. Bacliman, of Northwestern University and many other well-known football men all unite in the same sentiments as expressed above.