Lasker in Philadelphia

Dr. Lasker, the World Champion (or, as Dr. Tarrasch might prefer to call him, the World Match Champion) has been engaged by the Franklin Chess Club of Philadelphia to mark the opening of this year's chess season. Last night, November 22, Dr. Lasker played against Messers. Morgan and Stadelman- the latter the current Franklin club champion- in consultation. Reports by telegraph state that Dr. Lasker won in fine style. We hope soon to have the game score to hand.

Meanwhile, we note some comments by the champion in the September number of Lasker's Chess Magazine regarding a potential world championship match with Dr. Tarrasch. He states:

From the perusal of chess magazines and newspaper chess columns, as well as from personal communications from various sources, it is apparent that the chess world desires a match between Dr. Tarrasch and myself...

It is clear that if two players of equal or nearly equal merit are opposed to each other, each will have supporters and sympathizers. Each group should form a committee to represent its favorite; and the large chess world should acknowledge its interest in the match by collecting a prize fund in the same way as is now done for international tournaments and cable matches...

Let the leading chess associations and clubs unite in forming an international committee that will have the prestige and power and be provided with the means of fulfilling the desires and designs of the chess world as here described.

The idea of an international chess committee, or perhaps federation, seems most promising, and designed to assure the smooth administration of the world's championship. After two decades of squabbles and contentious negotiations between champions, challengers, and potential challengers, how could an international federation possibly do any worse?