Slocum Enlarges Upon His Attack Against the Army

The following telegram was received by the CRIMSON from Thomas W. Slocum '90 in answer to a request for a statement of his stand on football eligibility.

Harvard CRIMSON,

Cambridge, Mass.

Years ago Navy adopted eligibility rules of Eastern colleges, Army refused. Ceasing to play each other was a severe criticism of the diplomacy of the men who are to represent this country. Games were resumed though Army refused to abide by college rules. Twenty years is the age limit for entering Annapolis, twenty-two for West Point. This allows some graduates of colleges to go to West Point when barred from Annapolis. Men have played three years on college teams and four years at West Point. Army claims all students must have equal opportunity and that football players make fine soldiers. Maybe so, but of the last seventeen football captains at West Point nine are out of the service, some are playing professionally and some coaching. Probably same percentage would hold for other players. There are five men in the Army squad this year twenty-four years old, one having another year to go, seven are twenty-three, eight are twenty-two from the lower classes. Let us hope that West Point will realize there is no glory in defeating Annapolis on such unfair grounds and that true sportsmanship will attract them to adopt the same rules as most of the elevens they play where three years on any major team is the limit per man