The Sentinel=record., 1914-07-21
All MEMBERS OF FRATERNITY THREATEN TO QUIT NATIONAL
 LEAGUE JULY 22.
NOTICE SENT TO HERMANN
Claim That Continued Violation of the Draft Rue is the Cause of the Friction-Hermann Puts Case Up to Cincinnati Players.

New York, July 20.-Organized baseball and the Baseball Players Fraternity appear to be on the verge of an open break regarding the status and disposition of player Clarence 0. Kraft, who recently dec ined to obey al order by the national commission Co report from the Newark Interna- tional league club to the Nashville club of the Southern Association and was suspended Kraft maintained that by joining the Nashville club he would receive $l50 per month less than is paid him by the Newark club.
 The disposition of this payer has been the source recently of both cor rtspadence and personal interviews between the representatives of the national commission, the National leaaue and the players fraternity. and at a meeting of the board of di- rectOrs of the players federation yes. terday, President D. l.. Fultz of that organi2ation was instructed to pre- pare letter. which is generally termed in baseball circles an ultj- matum from the fraternity to organ ized baseball. The letter addressed to August Hermann. chairman .f the national commission. said that unless the demands of the federation m Che case of Kraft were agreed to, the members of the federation on and after Wednesday would no longer consider themselves under contract.
 President Ban Johnson of the American league today called a meet ing of the American league club own. CTS for tomorrow morning Johnson today stated that an order ca ling for a strike of American league play. CTS, If carried out. would cause the immediate closing of all American league baseball parks until such time as tae players agree to return under such conditions and penalties as mlsat be imposed by the league.
 President Tener of the National eague was absent from the city to- day and Secretary John A. Heydler, actng as executive, declined to dis cnss the federation case.
 One baseball authority expressed tae belief that the closing of the ball parks Of the entire American league circuit would prove more disastrous, rom financial standpoint, tg the bal players than to the baseball magnates. According to this au. lhcfity the receipts have not been up io the standards Of other seasons.
 President Fultz, of the feredation tonight issued a lengthy statement utlehdlug the stand of the players maternity It said that the Kraft oase waile now the main point at is su' was only one cf the causes of unIerehces between the federation ana organized baseball. It declared mat the Cincinnati agreement" en- ered into between the playeres and .ue magnates last year had been v.o Hted by club owners dozens of times, ana that few of the magnates have not even made a pretense of living up to the agreement"
 v added that ayers had been re. ceased without the required prelimi nary notice, or suspended without pay and no reason fer their suspen- sloh assigned, and that Secretary rdrfell of the national board of arbi- .i4tlon to whom five or six cases of %'yels claims had been submitted, Had not acknowledged receipt of any Of them.
 me boys have espoused Kraft's cause as eagerly as they would have s"'t 0l the greatest star" the state n'ent of Mir Fultz says. They feel ,ua' II the agreement is going to be NFeu up to only in part, they should time.
 weeks ago we requested of the commission that the matter be arbi- ualed' but the request was not even epned to. We stand ready to arbi- n''e It today or at any other time.
 hnson says he will close his nalNS rather than crawl MT. John. 'on Will close no parks"
 resident Fultz denied emphatical
 slat he had the power to call .nAe or walkout of the members of ne players fraternity.
 ne said this authority was vested me board of directors. The idea