Evening star., 1915-04-18
GILMORE URGES
BASE BALL PEACE
Declares 1t Is a Shame Law
yers and Players Get All
the Money.
ASSERTS HIGH-SALARlED
ATHLETES ARE A BURDEN
Federal League Head Is Sure Majors
Will See Light Before End
of Season.
Spe"ia Dispatch 10 The Star.

spe"iai Dispatch 10 The Star.
NEW YORK. April H.-james
4. Gilmore. president of the Fed
eral League. believes the inde-
pendent organization played a
trump card i'll the transfer OF the
Indianapolis club to Newark.
n. ]. The enthusiastic reception
afforded his promotion by the
fans OF Newark Friday afternoon
has revived i'll Fighting Jim's
mind the possibilities of an early
armistice if not lasting peace.
And there is no doubt in the world
that Gilmore and his associates
would welcome an opportunity to
establish themselves within the
lines OF organized base ball if
such a thing could be done with
grace. Tonight the outlaw chief
frankly admitted his wish for a
cessation of hostilities.
1T is shame" said Gilmore.
that the lawyers and the play
ers are getting all of the money.
The promoters have little but eX-
perierce for their pains. Peace
and readjustment is bound to
come i'll time. and the sooner the
/ better for all concerned.
/ Feds Still in Fight.
: Mind you. the Federal League is i'll the
field to fight till it gains its point. The
lnen behind il are determined TO win both
ball the boon uf major league recognition
! The men associated with me have the
capital and the patience TO go on in
definitely as at present I am sure they
! are better prepared to withstand stun
, financial drains than organized base bali
Several club owners II the National ana
American leagues are known to be in
sore straits. Their only hope OF surviving
this season is to have clubs that hgure
prominently in the pennant races. We. on
i the other hand. have gained hliancial
strength steadily. We are in far better
shape than II year ago. and will be IN
letter shape still at the end of the sea-
. son.
e,.al League has been a financial success
everywhere The hackers OF the various
clubs did not expect TO reap financial
harvests at the start. They were content
from the start to await the readJustmenf
of ha which theN bound TO
force.
But getting back to the folly OF this
prolonged war. There are many players
in our league and in the National ana
American leagues. too. who are at best
but a heavy burden to their employers
Their services cannot be dispensed with
because they have been able to take adj,
vantage of chaotic conditions to extract
iron-bound contracts at salaries far he
yond their real worth. The rank injustice
10 the promoters lies in the fact that
these men are utterly indifferent about
their moral obligations to those who paid
So alaries.
Admits Game Has Suffered.
During the present war base ball
has suffered far more through the in-
difference of certain stars than through
the avarice of these men which
prompted them to make and break
contracts at will. 1t has affected the
very roots OF the profession because
it has ruptured discipline Genuine
club spirit now seems to be the eN-
ception rather than The rule.
THE principles OF the Base BAH
Players' Fraternity are doubtless loei-
cal and sound. But here again the
undesira BILE element of the profession
the men who are content to accept
money for loafins-has gone altogether too
far. The association mas been used III
some cases as a fulcrum to pry loose
salary increases. These unfortunate
conditions may not be alleviated while
the rival forces of base ball are at each
others throats. That is why / declare
further continuation of the fight is
shameful waste OF time and money"
President Gilmore is of the opinion
that organized base bali will be in
far more receptive mood before the
end of this season. He thinks the
great enthusiasm displayed by Newark
has proved very conclusively that the
general public has begun to take real
cognizance of the outlaw fight against
odds.
Dire Prediction for Jumpers.
Gilmore takes no pains to conceal
his pique over Developments in the two
major leagues to date. 1t was bad
enough to have to swallow Walter
Johnson's great return to form, bu.
the uo-hit shut-out of Rube Marquard
on his first appearance simply broke
Fighting Jims heart.
"Johnson. Maruuard. Caldwell. Per-
ritt and Wingo should all be in our
league" ne said. IF they were travel
ing under their proper colors we would
have every reason to rate our strength
in acknowledged stars ahead of the
National League. Before these men
fiopped back we had organized base
ball on the run.
"sel;eye me each and every one Of
the five will live to rue the day he
backed out Of his solemn pledge with
the Federal League. ] am not in
nosition to say at present what action.
IL any, we contemplate taking. But
viii go on record that each of those
men mentioned will be far sadder and
wiser before he is much older. IT ma
not come in month or in two months.
hut the inevitable is certainly lurking
for him And l think l may promise
will orarfai<e him hefora fhA