New Britain herald., 1916-12-11
MINORS WILL BALk
 IS THE OUTLOOK.
Magnates of International League
 May Keep Parks Closed

New York, Dec. 1i.-The threat-
 ened strike of the minor league base
 ball players is the most absorbing topic to be discussed at the meeting
 of the International League, which,
 opened today at the Hotel Imperia!
 It is practically settled according tol the edict of President David l.. Fultz
 of the Players Fraternity that the
 minor leaguers will refuse to signN their contracts next spring unless th61
 demands for the elimination of the{
 objectionable disability clause and fon
 travelling expenses are granted. V
 According to the attitude of manW
 of the minor league club owners, a
 baseball strike would be welcomed
 rather than dreaded. For the last two or three seasons the minor leagueI
 clubs, or most of them, have been
 operated at a loss The players areY the only ones who reaped any bene- fit through the struggle with the Fed eral League, and if they now assume |
 a dictatorial position it is very prob-
 able that the minor leagues will ac-
 cept the challenge and refuse to open&
 their parks next summer. This al
 formative solution of the problem was
 InOTOuSuly OlSCuSSeu Dy LIlS IlAllloi
 league men at the recent meeting in New Orleans, and 1t is stated on good authority that this is the action they will take in case of a strike. N
 The first delegation of the minorX league officials to arrive in town in- cluded Thomas J. Hickey of Minne-v , apolis, the newly elected president of the American Association; Mike Can7 tillon, Minneapolis; A. F. Timme, Mil- | waukee; O. H. Wathen and Bill Cly-H | mer, Louisville; J. c. McGill, Indian1 apolis, and John w. Norton, St. Paul. President Barrow of the Interna-2 | tional League and President Hickeyy held long conference last night in
 regard to the requests which the l minors are to make to the NationalS 1 League when it assemblies here tom ore f
 row. For one thing, they will requestl that the draft on the Class A leagueaX | be dropped. This suggestion is sure& l to be dropped. This suggestion isl l sure to be opposed by the majorl leagues, ..~-. ~ -
 The removal of the draft would practically give the Class A leagues a major-league rating. PresidenN l Barrow is not in favor of a thirdf l major league, although some mem- 1 bers of the American association still
 have hope that this project may be ; adopted before next season comes
 around. President Barrow says:
 There is no room, with the existing
 populations of the available cities forI third major league. This would be 1 true if there were players enough forX @ third big circuit, which there are} not The American Association officials} will confer with the InternaEona11 ' Leaguers today about the proposed5 post-season series. It is planned toi l limit the season to 112 games and play
 long post-season series. Each club, if the project goes through, will be asked to put up s500 before Aug. IL and this pool of $S.0n0 will be "t of the post-season series spells. \ committee made up of prbS... T
 Barrow, President Hickey. end l..CalI Ewing of Oakland, Cal, will confcr
 With the National League magnates tomorrow concerning new mlnor1 league board of arbitration to handle all minor league cases. On Thursday this committee will so to Chicago to confer with the American League on the same proposal
 At the end of last season the owrfers or the Montreal Club decided to get rid of their franchise, but it now seems that Sarl Lichtenhein, tho president, has been persuaded to try it for another year, for it is predicted that the minor leagues have Q more prosperous season ill store next year. If Montreal does quit. an effort will probably be made to place anothc: team in Jersey City, which has Been | an International League stronghold ir former years. President Barrow is strongly in favor Of getting Jersey City back into the league.
 The International League plans to ! open it's season next spring on April ! 12 the same date as the major leawue openings.