NO CHANGES NECESSARY

The following report of Mr. E. K. Hall, chairman of the American Intercollegiate Football Rules Committee, was to have been read at the meeting of the committee in December. Unforeseen circumstances prevented this, and it is now published for the first time.

"In the report of your committee a year ago we outlined at some length the process by which the committee has undertaken, over a period of years, to change what was a very close game to an open game and at the same time to eliminate the evils and preserve the best features of the game of American Football. It was pointed out that this proposition was a complicated one and that it was necessary that progress should be gradual and that there should be more or less experimentation during the process. This experimentation was practically concluded and the changes in the rules finally completed in 1916. Since that time there have been no substantial change in the rules. Coaches and players have had an opportunity to devote their entire time to the development of the game under standard rules and have not been called upon to spend any part of their time in adapting the game of the previous season to changes in the rules made between seasons.

Open Game Established

"The season of 1920 just closed simply adds but one more year of evidence in support of the statement made in our last report--that a good all-round open game has at last been fairly established. The experience of this season has not indicated that there is any necessity for further fundamental changes.

"It is entirely possible, now that the new game has become fairly standardized, that intensive development under it may develop the necessity for further changes or restrictions, but until this is clearly indicated your committee does not consider further fundamental changes desirable. I am confident that it is the unanimous opinion of the rules committee that the only changes that are likely to be necessary in the rules of the near future are trifling and incidental rather than fundamental changes.

"Under the circumstances, your committee hopes that the members of the association will feel that the general objects and purposes of the fundamental changes in the Football rules have been accomplished; that further fundamental changes at this time are neither necessary nor desirable and that the influence of the Association will, until the situation changes, be continuously directed toward creating a sentiment against tinkering with the rules and against the making of any changes in the rules, the necessity for which is not clearly apparent."