field, no favor given nor taken, merit only. wins, are , athletic ideals.
These are more fully practiced, too, than we are often led, to be
lieve. ' Umpire and 'referee are not the only eyes , that make for.
Fair play; the combined judgment of the spectators always pre
ponderates in the direction of clean, fair play. In this regard life
has much to 'profit withal. The industrial and commercial ethics
of our time are rather lax. Undue advantage in production, the
holding of opportunities, the private traffic in public rights, are
manifest ways of helping ourselves at the expense of our fellow-
The cheap philosophy of success, which flaunts itself so
conspicuously that he who runs may read, and the apotheosis of
wealth, fast becoming an American neurosis, are too often be
fouled with deeds of unfairness, if not of manifest injustice. The
ease with which we make laws is equaled by the ease with which
w e bieak them. Their penalties fall with uneven weight, and too
often shield him whose prequisites render it possible for him to be
an unfair contestant. Success of any kind, 'the attainment of any
ends of our lives, are bought too dearly, if they involve the cast
ing of a single shadow upon the sense of fairness, of justice, the
crowning virtue and dignity of man. There is a world-wide dif
ference between the doctrines, succeed and you get money, and
the other get
.money and you succeed. The latter sells the soul
for gold, the former may enrich the soul by utilizing all of its'pos
sessions.
A need of athletics today is less emotionalism, less sectionalism
an
,the grand-stand and side lines, and more democracy on the
field. Specialization in athletics is not health. We cannot take
9iir exercises by proxy, nor satisfy our dues to Esculapius by sit
ting on a raw November day intent upon foot-ball issues. Health
is a large probl6m, and means unison and vitality of all our
powers. Values should attach, not alone to the institution which
produces the phenomenal athlete, establishes the lowest record,
etc., but to the one which commands for its work of making men
the largest number of well-trained' bodies. Records must not ob
scure our sense for men, morals, universal bodily training. "To
break training" is an anomaly, phether viewed from the hygienic,
athletic or moral aspect.
Athletics and Life.