PROFESSIONALISM TO BE STAMPED OUT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 27

PROFESSIONALISM TO BE STAMPED OUT.

CLOWES', CASE UNDER DISCUSSION. (Athletic News.) A thoroughly representative meeting of the Rugby Union has spoken,. and that with no uncertain voiee,)on this subject.' There were doubtlessly many who, like myself, were inclined to blame the Halifax (3lub" for calling a special general meeting with a view of bringing about the reinstatement of 'their member, J; P. Olowes, who has been declared aprofessfonal forreceiving money from Shaw afcd Shrewsburyin connection with the visit' of the English team to the antipodes, and £hus putting clubs and delegates' to considerable inconvenience in order to be present'at the meeting in London. The old pro- ' verb, ?• it's an 'ill wind whi<Jh blows no one J good]" applies to this case. 1 The action'of the 'Halifax Club has done inuob good. It has shown 'the 'unanimity which exists among followers of the game in ''all parts, 'of the country on this point. It has "shovyn. that' olubs north, soutb, east, and v^rest are working hand in hand to keep the game out of the hands of .the* paid player and to preserve the amateur definition in the spirit as well as in the letter of the law. It may be thatthis was the real object of the Halifax Club in appealing to " the country "^on behalf of their, absent fellow club man. It could not haveibeen with, the slightest hope of success. lam sure Captairi Bell' felt this daring his long oration on Clowo3' behalf. ..Although he spoke like a man who was- playing a losing game for nearly- an hoar,' he rambled on, reading extracts from this i paper' and that. The arguments all through were singularly lacking in force; indeed tfceir - ' ' : -: - - Tt"'. ":' ■* 'v/ . t :' \*

{'gist may be contained in one short' sentence: — " Has not * Clowes been already sufficiently punished ? " Dark hints, too, were thrown out I that other members of the Shaw* and Shrewsbury team are far greater sinners. , From the argumentative the venerable * captain gradually descended to the pathetic, and appealed pitif ally-to the meeting to " allow this young man when he returned to England to play for his old club. If he hastened he has erred in error, and surely he has 'by this time been sufficiently punished." , "The speaker then drew attention to the Halifax Club, pointing out its position, what it had done, for fop.tball, its loyalty, &c , &c. — giving it a very cheap advertisement, in fact. I failed to see what this had to do with fchis question. The worthy gentleman built up a very pretty structure. More than once I felt inclined to weep, and a sound like a distant blubbering reached mj? ear."' lt was a trying moment, but it did not last long. ' A very few plain unvarnished words from Mr Mark Newsome,nnd down fell the pretty edifice erected by Captain B 'll like a house of cards. All romance departed. The money Clowes had received ho had spent in wearing apparel and not on a football outfit. He may have' been a less sinner than some of the others, whose cases could not in, fairness be. heard while they were away. Clowes had been guilty of a flagrant acfc of professionalism, and must suffer if the laws of the union are to be observed. The rerulsion of feeling produced was immense, while, when the Rev. F. Marshall followed on the same lines and went closely into the evidence as laid before the Yorkshire committee, which included a statement by Lockwood and Stadden, of Dewsbury, to the effect that both had been promised sums of money to join the team, it wa3 apparent to the veriest tyro what the ,verdicfc would be. A_ youth, whose name I could not catch, tried to create a temporary diversion by trying to prove that suits of clothes were necessaries for an Australian football trip, but was promptly jumped on by Mr Guillemard, who asked him if he" thought that because football teams are often, when on tour, entertained at dinner it would be legitimate to charge the expense of a dress suit.' Orator followed orator on the side of the committee, but not one solitary delegate gave the slightest assistance to Clowes' cause. Even the member for Salford, who seconded the proposal,- did nothing more. Poor Captain Bell ; his reply was even imore rambling than his opening speech. He rambled, hesitated, and equivocated, and finally wound up with another.pitif ul appeal for the clemency - which did not come. ' Out of a gathering which I roughly estimate at 120 (clubs can only send one delegate now), but six hands were held up in his favour. Clowes though perhaps a less sinner than others— is a sinner, and to 6how him any leniency would be to offer inducements to other enterprising caterers to follow the lead of Shaw and Shrewsbury^ class on whom, if I am any judge, the union j means to put its foot firmly. But what about the other members of the antipodean team you will ask, What is to be done with them ? Well, we must wait and see ; but it Btrikes me pretty forcibly that those who do return to this country will find, at least as far as football is concerned, their occupation is gone. They may certainly go into the Association ranks, but very significant remarks were made as to the course Mr Hill and his committee intend to pursue on the subject. At present there is no getting away from the tact thatthere is professionalism in Ruby football. At the 1 same time it is equally certain that the authorities are determined to leave no stone unturned to grapple with, it in the bud. Whether they will prove successful time alone will tell. They certainly are going about their work in a most business-like manner, and it will not be their fault if they fail. - .