Puncture-Proof

A time-honored but unpleasant feature of bullfighting, national sport of Spain, is that phase of the performance wherein a picador enters the ring, mounted on a horse of small intrinsic value, and cajoles the bull into attacking his horse after he (the picador) has dismounted. The horse, unarmed, nude, often blind, invariably suffers heavy losses in an encounter of this kind. The bull gores him until tired; a team of mules then drag his remains to cover.

The rising generation of Spaniards, suffering from the taunts of soft tender-hearted foreigners, has objected. They wish their bullfights; they wish the bull to attack the horse; but they will accept an attack involving less gore, less evisceration. To this end horses have been provided with experimental steel armor, led into rings, offered to angered bulls. But from the standpoint of all (save the horses) steel armor has been a failure. The bulls have refused to bruise their horns against the unyielding protection.

Last week a despatch from Madrid announced new hope for a successful compromise between thrills and humanity. Utilizing discarded automobile tires a rubber coat has been devised for the bull ring horse, thick straw pads hung along the sides. It is hoped that bulls will not object to the innovation; will be satisfied with burying their horns in straw; will not insist upon horseflesh or nothing.

The new armor, it is said, will be prescribed for all future bullfights--if successful.