Evening journal., 1915-08-31
Feds TO ENTRENCH
AID Continue WAR
Claim $l,OOO,OOO Player
Will Be Used to Get
Them
O. B. HOPES
TO STARVE EN-

From all surface appearances the
war Letween organized baseball and
the Federal League will be continued
another year with all the bitterness
that has marked the national game
since the advent of the outlaw
League" Just what plans will be laid
has not been divulged, but il Is ex-
pected that the magnatea of the Ma
tional League will take up the matter
when they meet in New York city
The matter was to have been taken up
/ in Boston last week. but was post
poned owing TO some of the magnates
not being present
For two years the magnates of or
ganized baseball have made up con-
lcerted attacks on the Federals, allow
ling the latter to make all the leads
| in the baseball war and fighting back
lonly when necessary to protect their
1 players. But the majority of the
magnates consider the Feds beaten
by their own operations, and claim
that now is the time for them to take
hand in forcing the battle.
The recent move of the Federals in
Producing prices to the games is ac-
cepted as proof that the independents
are making their final effort to bring
patronage to their parks, while some
of the club owners of the two major
leagues declare the move was made
to try to force organized baseball tc
offer terms of peace.
4 While more than one club owner In
the National and American leagues
would be glad If the war was settled
lamicably. there is hardly any likeli.
hood of an agreement being reached
at this stage, unless the Federals
themselves ask for terms. There !;
no good reason why organized base
ball should make the advances at thi,
time for. despite the show of fgh
put up by the independents in goinl
after players and talking about an
other big raid, Il is claimed by thost
in close touch with the situation tina
the Federal League is not taking il
enough money to pay expenses, anI
that the league is In no condition {,
make any further fight.
IL is difficult to understand how tn,
Federal League expects to get play
ers away from organized baseball
next year. for there are few of th'
players who would care to TAX
chances of being enjoined by tn
courts, and 1t is doubtful if many o
the regulars in the two big league
would care to join a league playing
10-cent baseball The Fed" leader
do not feel this way about il. how
ever. but claim that they have a mil
lion dollar fund to get players with
and believe that they can get them b,
offering liberal enough inducements
The independents are known TO hav,
made big offers to players in IN,
American and National leagues re
Gently. but. with the exception Of on
or two cases, they have met Will
j little success. and the men who hav,
promised to 'listen to reason" woul,
not he of much loss to organize,
baseball if they would jump to tn
deposition.
Most Of the players on the Nationa
and American league teams at pres
ent are signed to two and three yea
3 contracts, but quite a number o
these contracts expire at the end o
this season, and il is on these player
the Feds" expect to work Tn
threats made by the Feds" however
, are considered nothing more thai
bluffs" by many of the magnates q
organized baseball, and the latter ex
= pect their plans TO force the issue will
succeed.