“WOWSERISM”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 298, 7 December 1911, Page 6

“WOWSERISM”

Any development of Luman tenclencie’s must have its interest for i the student of sociology. The meetinu at Sydney on Monday. NovemI her 2*th. therefore, at which quite la number of persons assembled to celebrate the arrival in Sydney of 1 various American pugilists, euplie-mistii-ally described as boxers. <lesi iv < ; its place a* an Australian event. The proceedings were intended to give eclat to the coming among us of the prizefight ing heroes presently to be s-t more or less at each other in th- interests of speculation, > feebly disguised as sport. In the event, thos- proceedings developed a humorous turn, none the less entertaining from the fm-t that it was intended to be serious. The specific ( business of tlie day being well over j—the black and white fighting men of fearsome aspect and eccentric appellation. that is. having been duly welcomed —the exhilaration of the great moment suggested a dramatic addition to the programme. Those present, we are told, formed them- * selves into a union, or league, with la view to preserve to the commnni ity the sacred rights of sport as I manifested in the prizefight. As was fitting, the proposal was mooted byMr. IL D. .M lntosh. a distinguished I gentleman, whose connection with the matter was obviously publicspirited. It was supported by various people, whose interest in the matter, similarly, may be dismissed as whole-hearted and palpably unbiassed. That, the proposal was carried with enthusiasm not only goes without saying, lint reflects credit on flic unanimity of the gathering. But, and perhaps unfortunately. the public has a way of its own in the matter of represent a tive expression of itself. As observets <>f public movements, we are bound to say that we find in the meeting of yesterday very little that represents anything, save prizefighting as a financial proposition. That being so, we are obliged to discount even the enthusiasm of unanimity which marked the meeting, and we at • especially driven to regard the league, and its outburst of virtuous indignation in the name of sport, as a humorous but really not very wise preliminary to the pugilistic mercies about to be vouchsafed us.

A tendency is noticed among tin speakers to denounce those who dif ft r from them a "wowsers.'’ and thi cause of their opponents as "wowser ism.’’ (’onsideri d in cold blood, we might say, in the words of Alt tietit Pistol, "a fico for the phrase.' but it is clear that much imporfanct is attached to both words by those who use them. In thr-ir view :n

deed, citlitr <•:><■ <>r <*tlnr wind i. sufficient to ovtrwhelm tin- oppos ing argument. That is not really war, and it is far from being ni-'g-nifict-nt. In point of fact d rev.■■lithe weakness of the pueri':*•’(• i ::se. It tai i-s for granted that, the * pp isi tion to prizefights is limited to a certain habit of mind and a mod < i life I'uiK i rued chiefly with gloom ;

■ aitlot.k and chaste severity of view In rinlity the opposition to u’Z. > tights is tlie opposition of lov <■! (•lean sport against a travesty a- I r degradation of it. And the pugilistii frnt'rnity know ii. Tiny cry "r.-.w sir’ loudly and often, but th<- eat*l in the throat is plainly to be heard Moreover, "vvowsir' is tin ir only cry aeainst th»- rising tide *.f objection t<* tin ir sordid form **f cxploita ti >n of the community. At best it b a poor cry. but wlu n it is theii iir-t ami last word of pugilism is re veakd as in need of support. Fol xowsci” docs not account for ;:ii | i *.test of ll ousands who love r • > spo; t against the prizt fighi of to-d.iv N. r does "wowsr r” suffice to establish the protagonists of pi izefightint as the only sportsm* ;i among us. It :s for that reason that we hope th' lieu league will g * o:i * eying out "wowser" as loudly as it know; how. For while it is doing that, it will be committing the fatal strategii blunder *,f concent ra! ing i:s force: upr n the wi akesi line of •• r >;•'>;.11: -n The protest against p: :z: f gh; ing i mt specifically a ('I urc.’i <■::<■:. <*: -•r a question of Piiritani • insistene* upon an tin-Aus’ ealian attitude to wards sport. It i- *>:* the side ol sport. It believe* tin ;: ::'■ fight o! to-day to have little or noihnig to d< with sport, and much to •!*> v ith r sordid method of making money. I' regards, morcov* r. the ili"ci‘:.l i.po Sydney of a prtzt tight ing *-.gy •■:: < •; set of Anierk-a’t tmgili s I o.ve < fears- me * t name ;*s of eo use G Sydney * itber from the point of view * f sp *rt or that, of i tl.ics. but mainly from the p< :nt of sp -.i. If tint b<

'•'* wsci i.'in, long uuil t-. iii ish That is not. of corns -. wi ;it th pugilistic fratirnity iiici-n by "wow serism.” but wo fai l-.’, ihc pub i ran si:m up the pugilistic fr-t r rn:.,' '•S\dnev Morning Herald."