The sun., 1916-11-24
BASEBALL STRIKE
NOT YET AVERTED
Fultz Demands Acceptance Of
Requests or Players Will
withdraw.
PERFORMERS ALL IN LINE
~ FREDERICK q. LIED.

era Fraternity 10 no jest wss rurther
indicated by remarks made BY Dave
Fultx. president of tks fraternity. VS.
tsrdsy. The players organisation has
accepted the def Of the powers OF or
ganised baseball and Fuits placed his
cards face pp on the table.
While the former Brown University
football and baseball star did not say
70 In n many words there was no mis-
taking his meaning that no players In
the major leagues or Class "A ard A
minors will sign 1917 contracts unless
the National Association grants the re-
cent requests made upon II BY the
fraternity. ...
"orgs nised baseball simply must
grant these requests that II all there n
to IT," said Fultx. emphasizing the word
must"
ut IL true tina We have pledges from
practically all Of the men whose con-
tracts expired last fall not to sign their
1917 contracts until told to by the Of
fcers Of the fraternity. What will the
owners do II their players will not sign
contracts? And they will moi sign
either until they get Instructions
~ ~
1.-THE players are solid behind us on
this stand. Ever since the National As
ISOLATION turned down our requests IL
New Orleans dozens Of letters ave been
coming to me from players. All OF them
reflect tho same sentiment. which II to
sit tight.
W. are asking for nothing which IN
unfair or inequitable. In fact we simply
var what already has been granted US
at previous sessions with the National
Commission.
About the most important concession
We seek from the National Association
Il that Its clubs pay the railroad fares
Of minor league players from their
homes to their place Of reporting.
whether II be to the training camp or to
the city where the player will play.
This Is done for about threc-auarters OF
the minor league players. but the other
quarter. low salaried men just hang
Ing on to their Jobs. must pay their
own way.
THAT IL the unfair part Of It. The
player who can least AFFORD II In the
one who must bear this burden.
Whether or not the southern Associa-
ton has = rule requiring Its clubs 20
pay such travelling expenses. they all
pay them. In the International League
the expenses Of the higher saiaried men
are paid the others foot their own
bills"
Up 20 Com mission.
Fuitx. however. makes II pla!n-as he
has tried to heretofore-that his war Is
not with the National Association but
with the higher powers 10 baseball. He
regards he National Association only as
. subsidiary company TO the National
Commission. whose policies necessarily
are dictated by the parent organization.
For that eas the players are willing
to 90 to the mat with the commission and
test their strength.
THE big league players have no griev-
ances and are fully satisfied with the
treatment accorded them by the owner.
/, and the National Commission. do not
fear the new contracts. and have no rea-
son to believe that they will be anything
but fair to both owners and players"
Fultz last Wednesday mailed August
Hermann. chairman OF the commission,
copies OF the 1916 contracts signed by
Ray Heating OF New York and John
Henry Of Washington. Both OF these
contracts have clauses which exempt the
club from paying the player any salary
In the event that he meets with an injury
on the ball field. the club nevertheless
reserving tho right to retain the player
on It's reserve list. These contracts were
sent to Hermann. rs he recently cau-
toned Fultz for saying such contracts
existed.
Exposes Objectionable Contracts.
However. ] will say In justice TO both
Hermann and Ban Johnson hat l dc
not think they knew Of the existence OF
these contracts" said Fultz. II believe
they were thoroughly sincere. as II al
ways has been the policy of the commits
sion To uphold a player who had been
injured in the service of his club and
later made a request for salary denied
him. ] have no doubt both johnson and
Hermann oppos such contracts. but II
was well to let them see thefe were con-
tracts In existence no later than last sea-
son with this Questionable clause. which
IL dangerous ever II not enforced"
With Fultz declaring the players will
not sign unless the minor league demands
are granted a new danger turks In the
air for the big League club owners The
writer recently called attention to the
fact that several of tho late Federal
Ieaguers. particularly ono Harry Sin
clair. are getting fretful because they
have not yet received a penny OF the
money organised baseball agreed to pay
them for blowing up last winter. And
there are hints that Sinclair may start
another league. II Is 10 secret that nu-
merous prominent players already have