Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-09
'FU[Tz NEUTRAL
AS TO FEDERALS
Does Not Believe He Has Right
to Tell Players Where
to Sign.
FRATERNITY SATISFIED
WITH CHANGES IN RULES
Head Of Organization Says John.
sons Criticism Is Unwarranted
and Out of Order.

| NEW YORK, January 9-David l..
Fultz, president of the Base Ball Play
! ers' Fraternity, arrived here yesterday
morning from Cincinnati, being well
satisfied with the result of the con-
| ference with the national commission
and the national board. Fultz said that
while organized base ball had not
granted as many of the fraternity's
twenty demands as he had expected, the
players were pleased with the general
result.
I'VE are notifying all members of the
fraternity by mail that they are now
free to sign contracts" said Fultz.
This method is necessary, for the
players agreed originally to pay
no attention to orders published
in the newspapers. If I had given out
a statement in Cincinnati that the play
ers were eligible to sign many of
them probably would not have accepted
the announcement as official. Hence
the notifications, that are being mailed
as rapidly as possible.
81 firmly believe that the national
commission alone would have acceded to
all our demands, but this was impossi-
Bile because of conditions in the minor
leagues. 1t was shown conclusively that
several of the fraternity's requests would
prove hardships for the minors, SO We
waived for the sake of harmony. Our
committee was treated splendidly by the
representative OF organized base Dali
during the joint conference, and you can
say that the fraternity body is graft
fled by the result.
lis it true that members OF the frater
nifty must be players employed in organ
lied base ball?" was asked.
They must be organized league play
ers to become members, replied Fultz,
but there is nothing in the fraternity's
constitution to deprive a player of his
good standing if he signs with an outlaw
club
Will Be Neutral.
What is the fraternity's attitude
toward the Federal Lacquer" queried the
reporter.
Absolutely neutral" Fultz said. with
emphasis. 1.-The fraternity will not ad-
wise players to sign with the Federals
and will not advise them to go back to
their old employers. That is a, matter
that concerns each player personally.
as president have no right to dictate one
way or another. Officially l have no
opinion to express as to the Federal
League movement.
did Ban Johnson subject you to criti-
csm at a banquet after Tuesdays confer
ence in CINCINNATI"
He did. and 1t was surprise to me.
During the session In which our commit
tee talked over the fraternity's demands
with the commission MIR. johnson APP
peared to be fair and cordial. If he had
any criticism to level at me why didn't
he get it out Of his system in open meet
ing when the argument waxed hot?
1T seems to me that Mr.. Johnson was
out of order at the banquet, which was
given by Mr.. Hermann in honor Of Gov.
Tener. Mr.. Johnson, l am told, knew
that I wasn't in the room at the time.
But even II had been present would
have made no reply rather than embar-
rass Mr.. Hermann and Gov. Tener. In
short, I think Mr.. Johnson's remarks
were uncalled for. But they were of a
personal nature and will cut no figure In
the future policy of the fraternity.
In pressing the fraternity's demands I
simply carried out the instructions of
the players. I have harbored no ill-feel-
ing at any time and was the first to ad-
init the fairness Of our treatment"