El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-01
MiGNATESPLAN
To 0UTNIT FOE
Seek to Eliminate Proof that
Ball Players Are Held
as Slaves.


New York. April organized base
{ ball has made arrangements for elimi1-
ating the last possible method by WAich
its enemies could hope to prove q
Z charge that the players in its employ
are slaves under the meaning Of the
law. The so called iroEclad contract was
the first big step toward cleansing and
Strengthening. the magnateS' position in
court proceedings Eliminating the ten
day notice OF release clause lent mu-
tUalty to the contracts and striking
out the reserve clause in favor Of an
option on the players services for only
one year brought the contracts them
selves to a ~oint where they hardly can
be improved upon Yet still another
obstacle stood in the way Of the mag
mates position being simon pure" That
obstacle now has been removed and in
a ridiculousiy simply manner.
Though the form of contract now
used by the National and American
leagues can bind a player bv option
after the term Of the contract itself has
elapsed. there Is a joker by which the
Federal league lawyers have been set
ting high store II IS the clause Of
the contract in which the player agrees
to abide by all rules and rulings Of the
league and the National commission
one OF the rules Of both leagues is
that no club for more than ten days az
ter the seasons start IS allowed TO use
a player not under contract Thus. uu-
der this rule. player could not go
AlllOAEA 4 SEdEUn UOunQ DA JUST Lue
option clause of his contract OF the
preceding year. He must sign a new
contract The opponents Of Organized
baseball are prepared TO show, and
have done so in the past. that no player
ever is signed without his new con-
tract containing an option clause. So
after one contract binding a man. has
expired. he is forced to sign one for the
succeeding year containing another
option clause binding him for the sea
son after that. Thus. year by year. he is
Kept tied tight, and in effect is kept
bound forever to the original club.
The Organizations answer.
The only answer organized baseball ,
has been able to make in the past TO /
this lifetime slavery argument is that |
there is nothing in the rules 10 force |
a man TO have an option clause in the
new contract he receives That seems [
like a complete answer, but it is not |
one. for the reason that the opposition ]
that can declare that there is not a man 4
in organized bali who signs a contract /
without the option clause and that I
therefore il is a safe PRESUMPTION that /
none viii be lined up by such instru-
ments. The plaintiffs thus can establish I
clauses extending clear through the
mans baseball career
One Exception Is Hade.
But that argument now is thWarted !
by the latest move made by organized I
baseball one player-just one. and we i
are under promise not to give his name
or that Of his club-has signed a Ma
uonal league contract containing no
option clause Last year he had a one I
year contract covering the season Of
1914 alone, but with the usual option
clause on his services for 1915. Less
han two weeks ago, acting under that I
option clause, his club signed him for
he 1915 season. using a contract form
mat contains no mention Of an option
Of his services for 1916.
Presumably, he viii be a rree agent /
n#
therefore in his case the string Of sue
cessive option clauses which would /
make him permanent slave OF his club
s broken. This one case will be enough |
sees fit TO bring forward its lifttime !
slavery plea in any other case such as |
that tried before judge Lands in Chi
,ago-
What Is the Penalty:
- WINE figuring out justification for
this move under their own rules the /
nigh officials of the two big leagues ]
had some interesting sideIight cues Z
lions suggested TO them while studying /
the bylaws etc One Of these had to !
10 with the probable penalty il any /
club ever should violate the measure
prohibiting the use Of an unsigned !
player beyond the time limit. The con-
senSus OF option was that all the /
leagues could do would be TO throw I
tut all games in which ne participated. l
them replayed or else award ]
ng them as victories to the opposfne !
cams. Then. if the club should persist /
in playing him again. the umpire in /
sharge- could order the man out Of the
game. IF he refused to obey, the league !
would have to fine either the man or !
he club or both and declare the game |
forfeited II the club baked on this /
iecision and continued in its determine
hon TO use the unsigned man. the club
would have TO be thrown out, OF the
league
II seems rather unnecessary perhaps |
10 carry discussions Of this nature TO |
he ridiculous extremes TO which the
above paragraph goes. vet there is al
ways the out side possibility that some /
such occasion might may rise. and the
officers therefore like to have their /
plans more or less clearly in mind and |
-eady for instant use in an emereencv-