New-York tribune., 1912-02-16
BALK ON NEW AGREEMENT
American League Refuses to
Ratify Proposition at Meeting.

Chicago. Feb. 15.-The American League
owners. in session here to-day. refused 10
ratify the new national agreement ana re-
ferred il as a whole TO President X H.
Johnson for revision. No date was set ior
his report.
Numerous objections were offered to the
agreement, but the most unpopular clause
seemed 10 be the one relating TO inter
league waivers on drafted and purchased
major league players. 1t provides among
other things, that neither a drafted nor
/ purchased player shall be sent to minor
| league club until all the clubs in both
leagues shall have had an opportunity 10
waive on him. The clause provides mat
'the waiver price OF purchased player
shall be fixed by negotiations between the
interested clubs and in the event of their
inability TO agree the price shall be de-
termined by the commission, whose de-
cision shall be final; the price of drafted
player shall be the amount paid for him in
the draft plus $3.50"
In the past il has not been necessary Tor
team owners in either of the big leagues to
obtain waivers on purchased players out
side their own organization
to-day. all Of the conferrees are confident it
soon will be. With a few changes, they
say. the whole document will be satisfactory
TO them.
The club owners voted unanimously to
empower President Johnson TO use what
ever measures he might see fit in order TO
suppress betting in all the leagues parks.
Trade and sale talk dwindled down 10 moth
I ing to-day. Not a deal was announced.
The national agreement is a three-party
affair, going into effect only after being ac'
cepted by the National Association Of Minor
| League Baseball Clubs, the National Com
/ mission and the two major leagues. The
/ National Association the National Commits
/ sion and the National League have all
passed upon and adopted the new agree
ment The action of the American League
| in holding off comes as something of a sur
! prise, especially because the whole ques-
/ tion has been referred TO Ban h. Johnson,
president OF the league. acting as COM
mittee Of the whole. Since Johnson Is a
member of the National Commission he has
already accepted the new agreement, unless
a majority Of the commission, as represent
ed by Thomas j. Lynch, president OF the
National League, and August Hermann
president of the Cincinnati Reds. overrued
Johnson in voting on the proposition. The
changes were made at long series OF con-
ferences between the National Commission
and the National Association before the
amended document was presented to the
major leagues. That Johnson did not make
known his objections and settle them be-
fore 1t was adopted by all the other parties
to the agreement comes as a shock
Any changes that the American League
will care to make must in turn be passed
upon by the National League, the Nationa
Association and the National Commission
before they can be Incorporated into the
agreement This will undoubtedly take g
long time, much to the detriment Of the
game with q new season near.
If the American League refuses TO ratify
the agreement it will not only he breaking
away from the National League. but from
organized baseball. 1t will have to take q
stand against all the minor leagues ant
the National Commission, as we'll as It's
big rival