El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-02

4 YEW YORK, Jan. odd friends
M Of David L. Fultz, president of
the Baseball Players Fraternity
are hoping for his sake and for the sake
Of his union that ne will become a lit
tie more conservative in his ideas be-
fore the regular annual meeting OF
the National commission in Cincinnati
next month. i is then that the fra
ternity will present its new set Of de-
mands for bet1erment Of conditions Tor
the player.
Fultz's latest plea is entirely the re-
verse in principle Of the other sugges-
lions and requests he has made. All
those on which the governing body OF
organized baseball has taken action
thus far are based on a merit system,
the reward of those justly entitled to
reward His new proposition, which is
causing considerable discussion among
baseball men, applies to players sent by
the big leagues to clubs Of lower clas-
sifications. He processes to believe the
National commission should make a
rule TO compel the payment Of salaries
TO such men just as large as if they
had stayed in the majors; in other
words. that their contracts be taken
over in full by the minor league clubs
MaEnrtes VIII Stand Pat.
The governing triumvirate Of organ
lied ball-Garry Hermann, Ban John
son and John Tener-win oppose the
new proposal forcibly, unalterably. It
absolutely viii not consent to the idea
particularly in these times of financial
stress and retrenchment when the
players as a whole are getting more
than their share anyway. kFultz tried
to sound Johnson on this point here
last week and received an emphatic
mo" as a response.
The obstinacy of Dave Fultz is well
known. He is a fighter to the finish.
Tor that he must be admired. But his
opponents accuse him OF carrying his
pugnacity too far, and his friends dread
the results Of his impetuOsity when he
goes off on an extreme tack like his
present one. They say that he is in
danger Of getting embroiled in a fight
where he has no chance to win but a
sure chance to lose Though a wise
counselor to the players in many ways,
he is likely to undo all the good he has
brought them and wreak harm instead
If he gets a fixed idea in his head.
FuItz May Harm Cause.
If Fultz fights for this new reform
as he has fought for other things,
there is no doubt that he can do or
ganized baseball certain amount Of
harm, but that in itself would not be
helping his cause. He would be hurt
ing his own side even more if he re-
sorts to the extreme Of forcibIe meth
DDS and might even cause disbandins
Conditions are different now from
what they were last summer, at the
time when Fultz threatened a strike of
all the fraternity members over the
memorable case of first baseman Kraft,
Of Newark, who had been dispatched to
n Southern league club by order of the
National commission. Organized base
ball bowed to the union then, owner
Ebbets Of the Newark club, fulfilling
the conditions OF the fraternity Ulti-
matum by buying Krafts release from
the smaller league and returning him
TO Newark. which prevented the i'm
pending strike.
Would Welcome Players Strike.
Next season, however, if Fultz
threatens to strike, the magnates will
let him 90 through with it and will be
even glad Of the fact. It will offer an
opportunity for getting rid of a num-
Der Of ironclad contracts held by play
ers who are not worth as much now
as the documents call for. If a player
goes on strike, that will be a violation
Of his written promises and will auto
matically nullify his contract before a
court Of law so far as the clubs Obli-
cations 60 Thus the club can't be
forced to pay him salary. But the COM
tract will serve as an absolute bar to
the mans performing for the Federals
II he attempts to jump. Therefore the
magnates can compel the player to sign
a new contract for a smaller amount,