Chess

The traditionally quiet atmosphere of international chess had been disturbed. One M. L. Lederer had accused Dr. Emanuel Lasker, German chess master, onetime world's champion, of employing unfair tactics for the purpose of impairing his opponents' powers to cerebrate. Specifically, Mr. Lederer had charged Dr. Lasker with 1) smoking cigars of semi-lethal composition during his matches, 2) exhaling fumes of same at strategic intervals and with unnecessary force,* 3) shouting superfluous orders at attendants, 4) being a nuisance intentionally.

Last week Dr. Lasker's reply, posted from Trondjhem, Norway, was published in the New York Times. With Teutonic thoroughness he denied Mr. Lederer's accusations, excoriated his critic generally.

"If," wrote the doctor, in effect, "my cigars are terrible and I blow the smoke in my opponent's face, why do my opponents never object at the time of blowing? Furthermore, if my cigars were of inferior quality, they would destroy the subtle, inimitable fabric of my own game. Those who have seen me play and watched the smoke curve will bear witness that it curves away from rather than toward my opponent." He went on:

"Mr. Lederer describes me as being a man of exceedingly bad manners who screams for the attendant and orders him to do this or that. I may be pardoned for mentioning that I have servants . . . who have been with me for a long time. And therefore it may be inferred that I treat them and others with consideration."

Following this categorical denial, Dr. Lasker struck back with a sensational countercharge. He asserted that on his last appearance in this country evil hands had tampered with the chess-clock, a two-faced affair intended for impartial allotment of thinking-time to the combatants. The clock, wrote Dr. Lasker, used in his match with Jose Capablanca, present world's champion, had unquestionably been "jimmied." Capablanca had received therefrom long, comfortable contemplation-periods; he (Lasker) had been rushed into illadvised, catastrophical decisions. What kind of etiquette had this been? Dr. Lasker's answer was published while six international mentalities were vying in the annual chess masters' tournament in Manhattan. Jose Capablanca, was in the lead as was his custom, until he tied with Aron Nimzowitch of Copenhagen.

*Walter J. Travis, onetime champion golfer, was in the habit of smoking long, slender, virulent stogies during his matches. The ventilation of these stogies, it was said, became especially active on the putting green. It was darkly hinted that the stogies lent Mr. Travis strength while temporarily discomfiting his rival.