The Professional Brigade.

NZ Truth, Issue 112, 10 August 1907, Page 3

The Professional Brigade.

It" was -highly amusing to the unbiased person to read the columns of matter which appeared m the dailypress over ths undoubtedly meritorious victory of Webb over Charles Towns, m lbs sculling championship of the world, and to compare them with the unmerciful manner m which the same writers have slangwanged the All Blacks' " professional team. And yet it is rumored, is it not, that Webb is one of Ihose unclean persons who indulge m sport for the sake of filthy lucre. Webb was, until comparatively recently, an amateur, yet when he signe<l articles to row Jim Stansbury, the daily press did not set up the dismal howl aga nst the sculler for embracing professionalism that they have been indulging m ' for weeks past over the much maligned professional footballers ; neither is it recorded anywhere that the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association placed a pistol at the head of Webb m the form of a statutory declaration, when it was known he was about to forsake <tJrs ranks of "clean sport," for Hie sordid money-making ranks of professionalism. And again, the same daily press writers welcome the money-making cricket gentleman from England with open arms when they 'deign to visit our damp shores, and even write up interviews with the professional wielders of the willow. When one sees this kind of thing — this differentiation between men following sport for the same reasonone may be forgiven for wondering if the writers are mentally out of balance and have had their discriminating powers put out of focus by some self-styled authority on the rules governing the game. . W'hather or not the N.Z. Rugby Union was within its rights m forcing the players to sign the now historical declaration is open to question- Certainly it has never previously been done m the history of N.Z. Rugby football, and s a vors very much of the autocratic rule of Russia, and is certainly without justification. Take an example. Suppose > "Gaily," for instance,, was asked to sign a declaration to the- effect that he never intended to be the general manager of the shipping company whom he graciously patronises by drawing a salary from its coffers, would that lordly person immediately sit down and indignantly sign m the negative ? Of course, the example quoted is pure fiction, as no one would ever dream that "Gaily" would ever fill the manager's shoes ; still, it only serves to illustrate the impossibility of any person stating with any defiwiteness what he may do m the course of weeks, months, or years. . ' Whilst on this subject,- it may be well to remind readers of the strenuous denials .that were made m the New South Wales press, to the suggestion that certain New South Welshmen should be included m the "All Black" professional team, there were no hunters after filthy lucre among the N.S. Wales Rugby Union men, but, alas ! Pride' had a fall,, and it is now announced that the "All Blacks" are to play against Sydney professional teams en route for England. t In this country a good footballer gets a place, usually, m a. team,, on his merits, but over m England this practice does not apply. A player might be a star of the first magnitude, but if he happened to carry bricks for a living, or be a wharf lumper or agricultural laborer, he would find no place m many of the English Rugby Union clubs ; he would not even receive nomination did he apply for membership, even though he submitted his entrance fee along with his application. What is the result ? Why, he makes tracks for the Northern Union, where his services will not only be recognised, but will have a market value. New Zealand Rugby players will do well to bear this m mind, as the "upper ten" are endeavoring to secure like privileges m tuis democratic country.