FEUDALISM IN SPORTS

According to reports in the Boston newspapers yesterday William J. Bingham, director of Harvard Athletics, is considering a new move in his "athletics for all" policy which would consist of organizing intercollegiate football competition in a 150 pound class. The wisdom of such a plan and the advisability of carrying it into effect can hardly be questioned for such a team would bridge a gap between the University and the class teams and at the same time would open a new field of athletic competition in football. Crew has already blazed the trail in special weight classes and there is no reason why this idea which has proved so successful in the spring sport should not also be applied to football.

The one big obstacle which prevents the immediate trial of this idea is the difficulty in arranging for intercollegiate competition. Under our present system of intercollegiate contact it would be a number of years before Harvard could arrange a full schedule for a light weight eleven if it decided to have one. Time would have to be taken to bring the new idea to the attention of other colleges and more time would have to go by while they were considering it. If, on the other hand, there existed today some athletic conference made up of New England colleges, the whole matter could be discussed thoroughly and either approved or rejected within a much shorter comparative time. That such a conference does not exist today seems ridiculous, but it does not, and as a result if Mr. Bingham decided to attempt to carry out his plan he will be forced to convince each individual college that it deserves consideration.