The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-07
MACNATES ASK PLAYERS TO
 STOP DRINKING AND SMOKING
Big Leaguers Also Favor Plan to Pay Men Each Month in Year.

New York, lIuv. l.-When the Base ball Players Fraternity presents it's demands for concessions to the Ma tional Association and the National Commission, these governing bodies of baseball are likely to counter for greater assurances of good faith on the part of the players.
 Indeed, it has been advised by cer- tain club owners of the major leagues that the National and American leagues, at their annual meetings in December, effect certain changes in the form of contract employed, so that the men will be bound to show off the field far more respect in moral obligation to their employers.
 Certain radicals have expressed themselves in favor of incorporating anti-alcohol and anti-nicotine clauses; others have suggested that articles should be inserted which would pre- vent players from gadding about in automobiles during the playing sea- son: still others object to the game of |golf.
 As general thing. owners leave the discipline of the players in the hands of managers. Most managers object to hard and fast rules of con- duct. They feel that such discrimi- nate against the men of balance, and that they ens5nder animls, which de- stroys harmony. Yet it must be con- fessed that of late years abuse of privilege has become more and more apparent. Something must be done to curb the apparent indifference of players behavior off the field.
 The advent of the Federal league was a signal for major and minor league players to overstep the bounds |of discipline and prppriety to which they had passively submitted-ar1d to the eternal good of the game-for many years. With the passing of the outlaws comdtdtions did not at once swing back into the old channel. The players showed no disposition to give
 up the newly found freedom.
 It has been held by some that play CTS of today are too generously paid.
 That may not be true. But it seems true that the athletes are now prone to Haunt their opulence in the face of
 an offended public It has not been l the best thing for the game from which these young men earn a fine living that they ride to and from the parks in high-powered cars, some with liveried attendants. It is this airy ar rogance that the promoters are anx- lious to curb.
 Perhaps the remedy is at hand in l the expiration of war time salaries. As the players exasted the last pound | of flesh when the case was reversed, | it is not likely that the employers will be swayed by any tender feelings of mercy when it is time to draw new papers. Certainly the magnates have taken no pains to conceal their deter
 imitation to readjust salaries on a more safe and sane business footing. tr- t-is they cannot be blamed. Nobody begrudges any player his pay, provided he does his best to earn it. The great trouble has been in the last year or two that many of the stars were interested only in the end and
 not the means.
 The Players Fraternity is asking
 nothing unreasonable from the gov ernment of baseball, provided it will guarantee that it's members on their side scrupulously fulfil the moral ob- 1 lligations of their contractual agree ments But there lies the great diffi- culty. The sense of ob1ias ton in the average player is not highly devel-