The Olympic Games and the Duke of Westminster's Appeal

14 THE OLY~ll!PIC GAMES. points in the Stadium the end of our athletic lives. But we can, and ought to, use training for the Olympic Games as an instrmnent for oru· own national improve· ment. " As for the ne"1 sports· (thl'Owing tlie discus and javelin, the standing jumps, hop-step-and-jump and pole vault), it would do us no harm to practise somo of them. It might not even be a bad thing if the ]I\St-named became an item in the programme of the inter-university sports, an honour which, at present at least, no one, of com'Se, contemplates for most of them. It is not, however, likely that in fom- years we can make ourselves proficient enough at any of these to be able to win points in them at Berlin. Nor is it immediately necessary that wo should. What is necessary is that we should do tho things which we do already better than we ar doing them now ; and the United States, it must be remembered, scored 129 points to Great Britain's 76 without so much as entering for the Lawn Tennis, Yachting, Football, or Rowing, and with the assistance of only one point in Riding and none in Fencing. " As for withdrawing from tho Games alLogother, it is not good for ii. competitor in anytliing, having tried and been beaten, to sulk and say that tho com– petition is not good enough to try again." VIL-THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE. It is not possible to give here even a summary of all the points brought up in the controversy which raged .througli the summer and autulnn of 1912 around the qqestion of British representation at t he next Games, but the weight of sentiment appeared so overwhelmingly in favour of the formation of a new and smaller body which would actively take in Iiand tlie organization of our affairs for the Berlin <;1!lrl!-es, that D.\lgo~iatio~ were started with the cqopel'!l,tion of the British Olympic Council. The plan worked upon was to form a new Special Committee. consisting of 11 members, five of wliich slidilld be nominated by the British Olympic Couqcii from among its own members, and five sho~d be selec!ro from tb,e pub1ic at large, ,yith a, chairman who was agreeable to all parties. It was evident that membership of the Com– ihlttee would not be a sinecure. There was a great deal df wdrk to lie dorle, and it was difficult ff>. Jn~.g_e~~lell/-en ,of !Lutho~~y,.ih sporting affairs wli~ .names "\VOuld ijave 1Ve1ght with the public H---------'~ho_ co.uld_afford,_and_were willing, to give so much of their· time as would be required to wlia.t might prove a thaiikless task. It was not iilitil ~h 14, 19~3, ilia.I; the.coµiposition of the bommit~ w·'' .. 11 <( I becl ui Tlte Tinies as follows on behalf of J! if:tt~ dtympic Coiincn':- \jijil'STiTlJTioN Bir rllE SPECIAL CoMMITI'EE. " The Council df the British Olympic Associa– tion have felt that; in view of the limited ~up~~ ~brd~ ~herii in their i>rer,atatibti for JJie uimies o! rn,2, .il.hd the a.i>ao1hui iiecessity that . <,reii:t ilitam shqwiJ. lie iioeqha~1y i-epre– sented a.t Berlin in 1916, it. was adv,isa.blc .to accept ouf&de a.ssistance proffered to them with ~e object of l>iiliging tliem into closer touch with ~~ .pqbli~. _}n:J the~.._c8H.si1,e~ble c1htfi?y~~l wliicli follow~ uie last Games it was evident tha.t an opinion was generally prevalent that a body of smaller dimensions. than the Council might appeal more effectively to the public, also that it would make such a body more representative of the general feeling if half the members were independent of the Council. At the same time, it was clearly recognized as impossible for the Council to abrogate its functions, because on that Council sit the accredited, representatives of every form of sport, and it is the bedrock of British amateui· sport that each section of it should manage its own affairs. " It has therefore been decided to constitute a ' Special Committee for the Oiympic Games of Berlin,' composed in equal proportions of members and non-members of the British Olympic Council, which shall be charged with the control of the financial arrangements connected with the British preparation for the Olympic Games of Berlin, 1916. " To adjust the respective functions of this new Committee and the British Olympic Council has been a work of some delicacy, but those who have been concerned in it trust that a result has now been obtained which will com– mand that support from the nation without which success is impossible. " The fit'St task was to complete this new Committee. It is hoped that the names finally adopt.eel will command the complete confidence of the pu }.ic. They are :- ~Ch';iirman.-Mr. J. E. K. Studd. Mr. A. E. D. Anderson I Mt·. P. L. Fisher J\fr. B. J. T. Bosanquet l\fr. H. W. F01'Ster, M.P. J\fr. T. A. Cook Mr. J . C. Hm-d l\fr. E. Mackay-Edgar I J\fr. G. S. Robertson Sir A. Conan Doyle. " Of these, the chairman, apart from his fame as a cricketer, has had very considerable administrative experience as President and Chairman of the Polyteclmic, and will be generally regarded as singularly qualified to preside over the work which the new Committee will have to undertake. " Mr. Fisher and Mr. Hurd are the honorary secretary and ex-honorary secretary respectively of the Amateur Athletic Association and of the Amateur Swimming Association. "Mr. Forster and Mr. Bosanquet are well known as all-round sportsmen representing the best amateur traditions. "Mr. Robertson has been associated either as a. competitor or judge witli many Olympic Ga.mes and is the honorary legal adviser of the Council. ." Mr. Edgar, though associated with amateur sport, is preserlt as the financial adviser of the Coriunittee. "Mr. Cook is editor of the Field, has captained ah Olympic fencing team, and is a British representative on the l.ritei:iul.tiona.l Olympic Committee. . " Mr. A. E. D. Andersciri represents track 11.thletics.