SPORTSMEN ISSUE AN APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 8

SPORTSMEN ISSUE AN APPEAL

New Moral Rearmament

FAMOUS SIGNATORIES TO

A LETTER

A call to moral rearmament through sport was recently issued in Britain by a number of leading British sportsmen. “Moral rearmament, which is the true basis of national fitness, is an individua'l responsibility,” is the keynote of the views expressed by the sportsmen in the form of a letter to “The Times” on November 2 last. 'Their appeal is worded as follows: — “Lord Baldwin and his co-signator-ies in a widely read letter have proclaimed their belief in the need for moral aud spiritual rearmament. We, the undersigned, representing sport in various forms, fqel impelled to. take up that call to awaken to their responsibility individuals and nations alike, so that the spirit of national service may no longer be evoked only when war seems imminent, but may ever be active in the cause of good will, mutual understanding, and peace. In this we believe that sport, which lies close to every British heart, has a leading part to play. “High standards of sportsmanship, fair play, aud clean living have a great share in the building of character and have, through sportsmen governed by those principles, been carried into the national life. They require to lie carried deeper to remove dissatisfaction aud the spirit of unrest and to restore to the country’ faith in its high mission and purpose. IVe believe it to be the task of sportsmen to assert the principles of sport—fitness, discipline, and team-work—so that they may become dominant in the life of the nation. The King’s Speech. “His Majesty the King, speaking at Guildhall on February 17 this year, said:‘We must remember, too, that in the end fitness depends on the efforts of each one of ns.’ This is an essential truth. Moral rearmament, which is the true basis of national fitness, is an individual responsibility. Individual sportsmen, morally fit themselves, can Influence the whole sporting world, and the sporting world, in turn, the life of the whole country. This will mean that fear, bitterness, jealousy, and selfindulgence—forces which make for national unfitness —will lisappear, and out oil’ our present apathy a new desire of national fitness will spring to life. “Nor is this all. Sportsmen morally rearmed will have an influence reaching far beyond their nation’s boundaries. On the natural meeting grounds that sport provides they can create between all peoples, irrespective of class or creed or nationality, bonds of an unbreakable spiritual quality. It is because sportsmen know the meaning or the discipline and sacrifice which sport demands tjiat it is up to them to give the lead in the discipline and sacrifice needed today for the restoration to Britain of her true greatness and for the creation of a new chivilry and a new spirit of unselfishness among the peoples of the world.” ' The letter is signed by the follow--lll£i. 31. Abrahams, British athletic team, Olympic Games, 1928. George Allison, manager. Arsenal Football Club. ' „ , Sir Charles Allom, president. Boat Racing Association. . H. W. ziuetin, British Dans Cup team. 1929-37. .. n Duke of Beaufort, K.G., P.C., G.CA. .IL John Beck, captain British Walker Cup team, 1928. ~. „ Jack Beresford, yun., British sculling of Clydesdale, amateur boxer Darwin, British Walker Cup British Olympic Games h^e C o y rge ea Eysto 9 n, C ’holder of world landcaptain English Rugby football team. 1037. . A T G. Gardner, racing motorist. Len Goulden, SocCer international. J. L. Guise, Oxford and Middlesex cricketer. E. Hapgood, English Soccer captain. Len Harvey, former British heavyW^ajo"°al- Basil Hill, president of the Rugbv Football Union. , J. B. Hobbs, England lest <;r ‘ < -' l^^. r ; E. J. Holt, secretary Amateur Athletic AS L > en a Hutton, holder of world record Kimberley, well-known polo P1 George Male. England footballer. Howard Marshall, 8.8. C. sports eomm<D^a Maskell, professional lawn tennis ch p ml j° n Noel Baker. M. 8.. ex-president Cambridge Univerffity Athletic Club Gordon Peterg, international golfer. J, V. Powell. English half-mile Olympic Ganics, 1936. , Gordon Richards, seven times champion jocl secretary Football Assoei! R.° J. C. Sutton, Olympic swimmer, jV W Wakefield, M.P., former Engavsbr «.»i" >» S °sH’ Pelham l Warner, former English Cll R kCt A? a, Whitcombe, British open golf C ' l Jimmy Wilde, former world flyweight boxing champion. ~ g. (\ VVooderwon, runner, holder world .mile record.