THE LOGICAL STEP

The action taken by the Athletic Committee of placing in the hands of Dean Briggs the discretionary power of discontinuing intercollegiate contests in the event of war will meet with general approval. In times of national need "what the devil are we doing at hockey? We ought to be drilling and learning to shoot." We ought not to be wasting our energy in games when that energy is needed elsewhere.

The outbreak of war will probably result in the cancellation of all athletic schedules and the absence of the spring sports should strengthen the single-minded purpose of the University to co-operate with the Government. By completely abolishing these contests the great expense of crew races, track meets and baseball games will be removed, and those now engaged in athletics will have more time to spend on military training.

The cancellation of contests, however, does not necessarily mean that all sports in the University are at an end. Oxford and Cambridge abolished athletics at first only to return to them later in an unofficial way. Harvard will probably follow the example set by these English universities, so that men who find time to exercise at Soldiers Field will have the opportunity to do so.

The paramount interest with most of us now is preparation for war. That interest will be held by still more when war is actually declared. Dramatic performances and social affairs have been cancelled; intercollegiate athletics are naturally the last to go. But at such times everything which hinders military training must be set aside and for this reason, though the necessity for it is highly regrettable, the Athletic Committee's action is clearly the only proper one.