El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-07-21
KRAFT CASE IS
CAUSE OF BREAK
Head of Players Fraternity
Says National Commission
Violates Agreement.

NAN YORK Tu1v 21-Organized baseball
and the Baseball Players fraternity came
TO the point OF a break regarding Clarence
o. Kraft who recently declined 10 obey an
order by the national commission 10 report
from the Newark lnternStlonal leegue cruz cruz
to the Nashville club OF the southern league
and was suspended Kraft maintained thal
by joining the Nashville club he would re-
ceive $50 per month less 1hah Is PAU MN
by the Newark club
source recently Of both correspondence and
personal interviews between the representa-
tives Of the national commission the Ma
tional league and the Players fraternity,
and at a meeting Of the board OF directors
Of the PLAYERS federation Sunday, David L.
Fultz. president Of that organization, vas
instructed 10 prepare letter Which is gen
orally termed an ultlInatuIn rom me ira
ternity to organized baseball The letter. ad-
dressed TO August Hermann, chairman OF the
national commission. said unless the De
mands Of the federation in the case Of Kraft
were agreed 10 the members Of the 1edera-
ton on and after Wednesday would no long
er consider themselves under contract
President Tener Of the National league
was absent, and John Heydler. acting sx-
ecutive, declined TO discuss the federation
case or state what action would be taken
by the National league
One baseball authority expressed the be-
lief that the closing Of the bail parks OF tbs
entire American league would prove more
disastrous from financial standpoint to the
ball players than TO the baseball magnates.
According to this authority. the receipts have
not been I'D to the standard Of other sea-
sons.
President Fultz Of the federation issued a
lengthy statement defending the stand Of
the players fraternity It said that the
but was only one Of the causes Of the differ
ences between organized baseball and the
It added that players had been released
without the required preliminary notice, or
suspended without pay and no reason for
Farrell Of the national board OF arbitration
to whom five or six cases Of PLAYERS claims
had been submitted, had not Acknowledged
receipt Of any OF them
The boys have espoused Eraft's cause az
eagerly as they would have that Of the
greatest star" the statement OF M Fultz
says. They feel that II the agreement is
going TO be lived up TO only IN part. they
should as well know OF it now as at any
7 understand NJ. johnson says that I am
hostile 10 organized ball and am conspiring
70 in1ure II. Such statement is silly and
Mr. johnson cannot cite one instance 10
support his assertions"
No Reply to Arbitration Request.
Weeks ago We requested OF the commits
request was not even replied to- We stand
ready TO arbitrate II today or at any time
Mr. Johnson says he is anxious for a fight
perhaps he's been looking for it-which may
explain the reason our agreement has been
violated Mr.. Johnson says he will close his
parks rather than crawl Mr.. johnson wiz
ing The boys are not bluffing but on the
contrary, are in deep earnest and viii most
whatever move il sees fit to make
The Idea that the Federal league was in
any way backing the players fraternity was
secuted by National and American league
magnates.
johnson Makes Further Statement
President Ban johnson Of the American I
league, speaking further Of the players said: I
II the violate their contracts they will I
be heavily fined and their status as PLAYERS |
fixed for all time in the future before they /
are permitted TO Renter the parks as our 4
players. We have consented TO many de-
mands made by the Players fraternity but u
this Is the finish II the federation calls /
out our players IL is to the finish be- 4
tween the American league and this orEaui- /
zation-
This action Is taken without any confer
ence or discussion with the National league
I don't know what their plans are. I onIv
know that the federation has ordered our
players 10 strike unles another orEaniza-
uon agrees 10 demands which in no v-av
interest or affect US II the proposed action
goes through the American league Is In are :
fight 10 stay Every club owner riII a, !
plain his position 10 his players and I am 4
assured that there will be no deferffon
among the clubs Of the American league
next year.
The maguates are unanimous in this
his agreement Will spell the finish Of ne I
clubs deserving in this crisis so far as M Z
American league is concerned. hone NAL I
ny position clar. The ball PLAYERS rndar {
contract TO our league cannot run the league I
lr dictate the policy Of its club ov-ns-v - I
by these bail players the better il viii - I
-or them; otherwise they viii be without Z
iome time TO come"