[blml] Who's in charge?

[Robert Geller]

I took a look at the relevant parts of the WBF Constitution:
http://www.worldbridge.org/administration/constitution/constitution.asp
Article 2 Purpose
<snip>
to establish standard laws for its contests adopting the International Code and supplementing it as may be 
required, but not inconsistent with it;<snip>

and Bylaws:
http://www.worldbridge.org/administration/constitution/by-laws.asp
8.8. Laws Committee
The President shall appoint a Laws Committee and shall designate the Chairman of such Committee. The 
Committee shall consist of not less than seven members representing at least three Zones. The function and 
duty of this Committee shall be to consider and take account of all matters relating to the international laws of 
bridge. The Committee shall make whatever changes in the laws it deems appropriate, subject to approval by the 
Executive. The Committee shall interpret the laws; shall periodically review the laws; and at least once each 
decade shall make a comprehensive study and updating of the entire laws structure. The Laws Committee shall 
fix its own rules of procedure and shall act as provided by such rules or by direction of the Executive.

Thus nothing in the WBF Constitution or Bylaws obligates its members 
to follow WBFLC decisions for its own national contests.  
as "the international laws of bridge" are not necessarily binding on the
ACBL.    

So whether or not one regards this situation as best (I agree with Marvin that one
world-wide common set of laws/interpretation would be better) the
ACBL isn't doing anything inconsistent with the WBF Constitution
and ByLaws as they now stand.

IIRC, the copyright to the Laws of Bridge were originally in the ACBL
for the Western hemisphere and the Portland Club for the rest of
the world.  The latter has now assigned its rights to (?) WBF or
EBU or ?, I'm not sure, but the ACBL still has its copyright I believe.

FWIW I'd be happy to see global unification of laws but it would be nice
if active ACBL members pushed for this.    (I'm an American and
still belong and pay dues, but I've lived in Japan for 22 years now.)

Best,
Bob 




Marvin French writes: 
>
>From: "Ed Reppert"
>
>> In the minutes of its 11 January 2000 meeting, the WBFLC said, in
>> minute 2, "Mr. Cohen drew attention to the disparity between the
>by-
>> law of the WBF which requires the committee to interpret the laws
>and
>> the statutes of the ACBL which prescribe that this power shall be
>> exercised within its area of jurisdiction by the ACBL. It was
>agreed
>> that the matter is one to be addressed by the by the Executive
>> Council and Messrs. Kooijman, Cohen, Endicott, Polisner and
>Wignall
>> were deputed to prepare a written submission to the Executive
>> Council." Did anything ever come of that?
>>
>The ACBL has always acted as if the WBFLC does not exist. Here is
>what the ACBL By-laws say:
>
>"There shall be an ACBL Laws Commission which will prepare the Laws
>under which both duplicate and rubber bridge games will be governed.
>These Laws may be reviewed and revised periodically by the
>Commission."
>
>The ACBL joined the WBF and agreed to abide by its by-laws, which
>say that the WBFLC is responsible for writing and interpreting the
>Laws. There is nothing to address, other than compliance by the ACBL
>with WBF By-laws. The ACBL should be barred from hosting any WBF
>event until it recognizes that the ACBLLC is subordinate to the
>WBFLC.
>
>One set of rules for the game of bridge, centrally controlled,
>that's what players want. Should their wish be ignored?
>
>Marv
>Marvin L. French
>San Diego, California
>www.marvinfrench.com

-----------------------------------------------------
Robert (Bob) Geller,     Tokyo, Japan        geller at nifty.com